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A  BLUE  GRASS  BEAUTY 


Frontispiece — A  Blue  Grass  Beauty. 

"A  YOUNG  MAN  ASKED,  'CAN'T  I  HELP  A  BIT,  HERE?' 


•il 


i 


gr  (rffJ>r/e//e  JI/&c/$od 

■ /LLL&rmmD- 

PHILADELPHIA. 

flENBYALTEflVVS  COMPANY 


BY    THE    SAME   AUTHOR 

Caps  and  Capers 
Doughnuts  and  Diplomas 

$1.00  each 


Copyright,  1003,  by  Henry  Alien 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 
I. 

Where  the  Blue  Grass  Waves, 13 

II. 

Where  Horse  is  King  and  Fashion  Queen,      ...        33 

III. 
Back  in  God's  Country, 49 


Whizzer,  Whirligig  and  Buster, 65 

Tiny  Tim's  Easter  Gift, 89 

Laddie  and  Lassie, 101 

Where  Twinkle  Spent  the  Fourth  of  July,          .        .  117 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


PAGE 

" 'Can't  I  help  a  bit  here  ?' "    .         .        .  Frontispiece. 

1  " Beauty,  what  am  I  going  to  do  without  you? '  "  .  19 

"  He  rode  with  the  grace  of  a  practiced  rider,"  .        .  25 

"'  You  want  me,  Bert  ? '" 59 


WHERE  THE  BLUE  GRASS 
WAVES 


CHAPTER  I 


WHERE    THE    BLUE    GRASS    WAVES 


r  (  i        h  H,  Fred,  is  n  't  lie  a  beauty !    I  know 


O 


that  we  have  never  had  anything 
to  compare  with  him.  And  such  a 
disposition,  too.  I  don't  believe  anything  could 
make  him  show  a  disagreeable  trait  now,  do 
you?" 

The  speaker  was  a  girl  of  about  eighteen  years 
of  age,  tall,  slight,  and  in  coloring  a  perfect  bru- 
nette. She  stood  leaning  upon  the  bars  of  a 
large  pasture  where  ten  or  more  horses  were  en- 
joying their  freedom,  and  beside  her  upon  the 
grass  lay  a  side-saddle  and  bridle.  Evidently 
she  had  just  dismounted,  for  she  wore  her  habit, 
and  held  in  her  hand  the  riding-cap  she  had  just 
removed  from  the  soft,  seal-brown  hair. 

13 


A    BLUE    GRASS    BEAUTY 

The  person  to  whom  she  spoke  was  very  like 
her,  excepting  his  eyes,  which  were  a  decided 
gray,  and  looked  out  upon  the  world  in  a  manner 
to  make  others  hesitate  before  telling  an  un- 
truth. It  did  not  need  a  second  glance  to  pro- 
nounce them  brother  and  sister. 

"I  don't  know;  that  all  depends,"  answered 
the  man,  shaking  his  head  doubtfully.  ' '  If  some 
fellow  with  sense  buys  him,  well  and  good.  But 
if  some  idiot  gets  him,  I  should  n't  like  to  an- 
swer for  the  consequences.  He  is  pretty  high- 
strung.  ' ' 

1 '  Of  course,  I  know  that,  but  just  see  what  he 
lets  me  do  with  him !    Just  anything." 

"I  wish  he  might  fall  into  Bert  Conant's 
hands,  for  then  we  need  have  no  further  con- 
cern about  him,"  continued  the  man.  "But 
J  'in  afraid  there  is  no  chance  of  it.  The  fellow 
from  New  York  is  clean  gone  over  him,  and  has 
offered  twice  as  much  as  father  would  have 
taken  from  Bert,  and  Mr.  Binwell  is  sure  to  ac- 
cept it.    That  's  the  worst  of  these  partnerships; 

14 


A    BLUE    GRASS    BEAUTY 

one  man  wants  to  sell  his  horses  to  buyers  who 
will  take  good  care  of  them,  and  the  other  won't 
think  of  a  single  thing  but  the  cash  to  be  had. 
He  says  Dad  's  soft-hearted,  but  I  wish  he  had  a 
little  of  the  disease  himself.  He  could  stand  it, 
and  not  be  hurt  a  mite. ' ' 

During  this  conversation  the  subject  of  it 
stood  nearly  knee-deep  in  the  waving  grass  of 
the  pasture,  sometimes  gathering  a  mouthful, 
and  sometimes  pausing  to  look  inquiringly  at 
the  pair  standing  beside  the  bars,  as  though  to 
say:  "I  am  sure  you  are  talking  about  me,  and 
it  is  n't  polite  to  comment  upon  anyone  right  in 
his  presence."  Presently  he  walked  slowly 
toward  them,  and  as  he  approached  with  his 
mouth  full  of  the  sweet,  fresh  grass,  he  shook 
his  head  up  and  down,  as  though  in  greeting. 

"Come  on,  Beauty,"  said  the  girl.  "I  'm  go- 
ing up  to  the  house  now;  you  'd  better  bid  me 
good-by  like  a  gentleman. ' '  He  was  well  named, 
for  never  had  his  native  State  turned  out  a  hand- 
somer creature.     He  was  a  little  over  fifteen 

is 


A    BLUE    GRASS    BEAUTY 

hands  high,  clean  limbed  as  a  deer,  with  a  body 
like  satin  and  a  head  which  would  have  made 
Herring  exclaim  over  it,  for  the  eyes  fairly 
talked,  and  the  delicate,  sensitive  nostrils  quiv- 
ered with  every  emotion.  But  the  expression  of 
the  face  was,  perhaps,  the  chief  charm  of  the 
animal,  for  it  was  more  than  mere  beauty  can 
give  to  either  beast  or  man.  It  was  that  which 
is  worn  only  by  those  creatures  who  have  per- 
fect confidence  and  love  for  their  fellow-beings 
whether  they  be  human  or  brute. 

It  is  a  great  pity  that  we  cannot  see  it  oftener, 
and  never  is  it  more  apparent— or  more  plainly 
lacking,  as  the  case  may  be— than  in  a  horse  or  a 
dog.  Show  me  an  animal,  and  no  matter 
whether  his  master  be  near  at  hand  or  miles 
away,  I  will  tell  you  what  the  master's  conduct 
is  toward  the  creature  over  which  he  has  con- 
trol. The  eyes  and  ears  will  tell  it  all,  as  we 
might  see  every  day  of  our  lives  if  we  took  the 
trouble  to  observe.  It  is  a  look  either  of  perfect 
mutual   understanding,   or  of  perpetual   odds; 

16 


A    BLUE    GRASS     BEAUTY 

and  nothing  upon  earth  can  be  more  pathetic 
when  we  consider  how  entirely  the  creatures 
must  depend  upon  human  beings  for  their  com- 
fort and  happiness. 

Beauty  came  up  to  the  bars  at  the  girl's  bid- 
ding, and  resting  his  velvety  muzzle  upon  her 
shoulder,  stood  as  still  as  a  statue  while  she 
pressed  her  face  against  his,  and  reaching  one 
arm  up  and  around  his  neck,  stroked  him  gently. 

"  Beauty,  what  am  I  going  to  do  without 
you?"  she  asked.  "I  have  helped  to  make  you 
what  you  are,  and  now  I  just  can't  let  you  go 
North  with  some  one  I  don't  know,  and  who 
won't  care  a  bit  for  you,  except  as  he  would  for 
any  handsome  horse.  But  you  're  half  human,  I 
believe,  and  I  know  you  know  a  heap  more  than 
some  folks." 

"I  'm  going  to  see  Bert  this  evening,"  said 
her  brother,  as  he  stooped  to  gather  up  the  sad- 
dle and  bridle  from  the  ground.  "I  '11  find  out 
if  there  's  any  chance  of  Bert 's  taking  him,  for  I 
believe  I  feel  nearly  as  bad  as  you  do  at  the 

17 


A    BLUE    GRASS    BEAUTY 

thought  of  letting  him  go  so  far  away,  Bess." 
He  started  to  leave  the  pasture.  The  girl  tarried 
a  moment  to  say  a  few  parting  words  to  the 
horse,  and,  gathering  up  her  short  riding  habit, 
she  ran  as  lightly  as  a  fairy  over  the  soft  turf, 
and  overtaking  him  slipped  one  hand  through 
his  disengaged  arm,  clasped  her  other  over  it, 
and  taking  about  two  steps  to  each  of  his  long 
strides,  tripped  along  beside  him. 

Bess  and  Fred  Corbin  had  spent  nearly  all 
their  lives  upon  a  Kentucky  Stock  Farm,  and 
knew  every  stick  and  stone  for  miles  around. 
Except  to  attend  their  respective  colleges,  and 
even  these  were  close  to  each  other,  the  brother 
and  sister  had  never  been  separated.  They  had 
played,  studied,  ridden,  rowed,  and  entered 
upon  their  collegiate  courses  "neck  and  neck," 
as  their  father  put  it,  and  the  tie  between  them 
was  unusually  strong.  Fred  was  two  years  her 
senior,  but  being  the  quicker  witted  of  the  two, 
Bess  managed  to  keep  up  in  all  things. 

Mr.  Corbin  was  half  owner  of  the  farm,  his 

18 


UM.lJ 


A  Blue  Grass  Beauty. 

"'BEAUTY,  WHAT  AM  I  GOING  TO  DO  WITHOUT   YOUf  " 
9 — Blue  Grass  Beauty.  10, 


A    BLUE    GRASS    BEAUTY 

partner's  home  being  in  Lexington,  where  he 
lived,  except  in  summer.  From  tiny  children 
the  brother  and  sister  had  loved  horses  and 
dogs,  and  their  aunt,  who  had  kept  house  for 
Mr.  Corbin  ever  since  his  wife's  death,  when  the 
children  were  very  young,  said : ' l  They  'd  rather 
eat  and  sleep  in  the  stables  than  in  the  house." 
The  life  seemed  to  agree  with  them,  for  it  would 
have  been  difficult  to  find  two  bonnier,  healthier 
young  people  than  Bess  and  Fred  Corbin  were 
at  eighteen  and  twenty  years  of  age. 

It  was  vacation  time  now,  and  both  were 
home  from  college,  and  with  the  return  to  their 
native  air  came  many  little  localisms  of  accent 
and  speech  that  they  rarely  used  "up  North." 
Day  after  day  they  rode  or  drove  together,  or 
helped  in  the  training  of  the  colts. 

Bess  had  achieved  a  reputation  in  this  line, 
and  rarely  did  a  colt  leave  "Grassy  Ridge,"  as 
the  farm  was  called,  which  did  not  owe  Bess 
something  for  its  reputation.  She  used  to  say 
that  it  was  because  she  loved  them  all  so  dearly 


A    BLUE    GRASS    BEAUTY 

that  she  was  able  to  do  more  with  them  than  the 
average  person  could,  and  that  they  understood 
whatever  she  said  to  them.  However  that 
might  be,  certain  it  was  that  the  horses  sold  from 
"Grassy  Ridge"  were  famed  far  and  wide  for 
their  dispositions  and  their  paces. 

But  never  had  there  been  Beauty's  equal.  He 
was  as  nearly  perfect  in  all  things  as  it  ever  falls 
to  the  lot  of  a  horse  to  be.  Ever  sincehis  colt-hood 
Bess  had  taken  charge  of  his  education,  till  now, 
at  four  years,  he  was  ready  to  go  out  into  the 
wide  world  and  prove  her  proficiency.  She  had 
seen  many  colts  sold  from  the  farm,  and  had  re- 
gretted their  outgoing  more  or  less,  but  Beauty's 
prospective  departure  grieved  her  sorely,  and 
she  had  hoped,  far  more  eagerly  than  she  real- 
ized, that  their  neighbor,  her  old  playmate,  Bert 
Conant,  would  buy  him.  But  Beauty's  price 
was  high,  and  Bert's  purse  was  not  heavy,  so  the 
chance  of  Beauty  ever  becoming  his  property 
seemed  improbable.  More  so  than  ever  now,  for 
a  gentleman  had  just  come  from  New  York, 


A    BLUE    GRASS    BEAUTY 

whose  purse  more  than  outweighed  Beauty  him- 
self, and  Beauty's  fate  seemed  sealed. 

An  hour  or  two  after  tea  that  evening  Fred 
made  his  way  to  the  home  of  Bert  Conant,  riding 
Beauty  in  order  to  strengthen  the  cause  he 
was  about  to  plead.  He  rode  along  with  the 
grace  and  ease  of  a  practiced  rider,  and  making 
a  striking  picture  against  the  background  of  a 
glorious  sunset.  Beauty  swung  onward  with 
the  grace  of  motion  peculiar  to  a  perfectly 
broken  horse,  now  and  then  tossing  his  hand- 
some head  and  giving  a  loud  neigh  just  for  the 
joy  of  being  alive.  He  had  no  fear  of  being  re- 
buked, for  the  understanding  between  horse  and 
man  was  perfect.  His  grace  was  native  and 
the  man  who  rode  him  prized  it  at  its  full  value ; 
and  his  perfect  confidence  in  the  sympathy  of 
his  master  sent  a  thrill  of  pleasure  through 
Fred's  heart. 

"Pretty  nice  sort  of  thing  to  be  alive  down 
here,  is  n't  it,  Beauty'?"  he  asked,  as  though  ad- 
dressing a  human  being,  and  reaching  forward 

23 


A    BLUE    GRASS    BEAUTY 

as  they  swung  along,  he  laid  back  a  lock  of  the 
silky  mane  which  Beauty's  joyous  toss  had  dis- 
arranged. "Now,  if  we  can  only  strike  a  bar- 
gain with  Bert, ' '  he  continued  aloud, ' '  and  keep 
you  down  here  in  God 's  own  country,  there  will 
be  four  of  us  happy.  So  put  on  your  most  cap- 
tivating manner,  old  man,  and  we  '11  see  what 
can  be  done." 

Beauty  gave  a  soft  little  whinny  of  assent, 
and  a  sweeping  wave  of  his  long,  beautiful  tail, 
as  they  turned  into  a  gateway.  A  moment  later 
Fred  slipped  from  the  saddle  at  Conant's  horse- 
block, to  be  met  by  Bert  with:  "Don't  say  a 
single  word;  I  know  what  has  brought  you  over. 
I  heard  from  Jess  that  some  one  has  an  eye  on 
Beauty,  and  the  cash  with  him  to  back  it  up." 
As  he  spoke  he  came  down  from  the  porch,  and 
taking  the  horse's  muzzle  in  his  hands  stroked 
it  gently.  Evidently  he  was  an  old  friend,  for 
Beauty  met  his  advances  more  than  half  way. 
The  two  men  talked  long  and  earnestly,  and 
finally  Fred  said:  "Perhaps  I  can  get  father  to 

24 


A  Blue  Grass  Beauty. 

"he  rode  with  the  grace  of  a  practiced  rider/ 
25 


A    BLUE    GRASS    BEAUTY 

shave  his  price  a  little,  and  you  can  settle  when 
you  are  able. ' ' 

''No;  I  can't  let  him  do  that,  and  even  if  he 
were  willing,  there  's  Mr.  Binwell,  and  you 
know  him  as  well  as  I  do.  It  would  only  make 
trouble.  I  'm  afraid  it  can't  be  thought  of— the 
old  gentleman's  bank  account  is  none  too  heavy 
as  it  is,  and,  for  a  flourishing  barrister,  my  own 
leaves  considerable  to  be  desired." 

Two  years  ago,  Bert  Conant  had  been  gradu- 
ated from  the  Columbia  Law  School  and  re- 
turned to  his  native  town  to  take  up  the  practice 
of  law,  believing  that  he  had  only  to  open  an 
office  in  order  to  achieve  fame  and  fortune.  But 
Dame  Fortune  did  not  seem  to  have  chosen  Lex- 
ington for  an  abiding  place,  and  Bert  was  be- 
ginning to  learn  that  one  has  sometimes  to  wait 
long  and  patiently  for  that  capricious  lady  to 
decide  upon  a  permanent  residence. 

Before  the  war,  the  old  Conant  place  had  been 
far-famed  for  lavish  hospitality,  but  sad  changes 
had  taken  place,  and  now  little  remained  of  its 

27 


A    BLUE    GRASS    BEAUTY 

former  glories.  With  the  boundless  hope  of 
twenty-three,  Bert  saw  it  all  restored,  his  father 
surrounded  with  luxuries  which  early  habit  had 
rendered  almost  indispensable  to  him,  and  him- 
self a  prosperous,  respected  lawyer. 

Behind  all  these  dreams  arose  an  ever-recur- 
ring picture,  in  which  the  principal  figure  was 
always  a  dark -haired,  olive-cheeked,  laughing- 
eyed  girl.  However,  all  was  still  tantalizingly 
vague;  the  place  left  much  to  be  desired;  the 
luxuries  were  still  conspicuous  by  their  absence ; 
he  was  a  lawyer  all  right  enough,  but  the  fame 
and  prosperity  seemed  to  hang  fire;  while  the 
olive-skinned  girl  was  still  absorbed  in  her  col- 
lege fun  and  her  horses,  with  never  anything 
save  a  friendly,  brotherly  sort  of  fondness  for 
the  "boy,"  as  she  would  no  doubt  have  called 
him,  with  whom  she  had  played  ever  since  she 
could  remember,  and  who  had  teased  and  tor- 
mented her  at  times  till  the  olive  cheeks  burned 
and  she  had  flown  at  him  like  a  little  wildcat. 

The  two  men  talked  until  darkness  fell  upon 

28 


A    BLUE    GRASS    BnAUTY 

the  land,  and  when  at  last  Fred  turned  Beauty's 
head  toward  home,  stars  were  twinkling  in  the 
sky  over  their  heads,  crickets  were  piping  their 
shrill  little  songs  by  the  roadside,  and  dear 
Mother  Nature  was  singing  a  lullaby  to  her  myr- 
iads of  weary  children.  Off  in  the  distance  a 
watchdog  occasionally  announced  to  the  quiet 
world  that  he,  at  least,  was  still  alert,  and  far 
away  in  the  valley  the  lights  of  Lexington  glim- 
mered. 

Beauty  walked  quietly  on  with  the  long, 
easy  stride  peculiar  to  his  race,  evidently  en- 
joying the  peaceful  night,  while  his  master  sat 
silent  and  thoughtful  upon  his  back,  and  tried 
to  reason  out  the  contrary  moves  of  fate. 

Reaching  home,  he  turned  Beauty  over  to  the 
care  of  old  Jess,  the  colored  man  who  always 
spoke  to  him  as  though  he  were  one  of  his  chil- 
dren, and  then  went  up  to  the  house,  where  Bess 
met  him  with : 

' '  Does  he  think  he  can  buy  him  1 ' ' 


29 


WHERE  HORSE  IS  KING  AND 
FASHION  QUEEN 


CHAPTER  II 
i 

WHERE  HORSE  IS  KING  AND  FASHION  QUEEN 

NEARLY  three  years  had  slipped  away 
since  the  beautiful  Summer  morning 
when  we  first  saw  Beauty  stand- 
ing beside  his  young  master  and  mistress 
at  the  pasture  bars,  and  eventful  years  they  had 
been  for  him,  filled  with  many  bitter  and  painful 
experiences.  First  had  come  the  long  ride 
northward  in  the  box  car,  which,  though  not 
pleasant,  Beauty  endured  with  a  wonderfully 
good  grace,  for  old  black  Jess  had  accompanied 
him,  and  the  familiar  face  helped  him  forget  the 
jolts  and  jars  of  the  journey.  Moreover,  he  re- 
garded all  the  world  as  his  friend,  as  he  mani- 
fested repeatedly  by  his  friendly  overtures  to  all 

33 


A    BLUE    GRASS    BEAUTY 

who  came  near  him,  till,  by  the  time  the  journey 
ended,  there  was  not  a  man  or  boy  on  the  train 
who  did  not  stop  to  speak  to  him,  or  stroke  him, 
or  bring  him  some  tidbit.  Beauty  always  wel- 
comed them  like  the  thoroughbred  gentleman  he 
was,  and  made  them  feel  that  they  were  the  fa- 
vored ones.  Never  having  experienced  the  least 
unkindness,  he  did  not  apprehend  it,  and  his  soft 
little  neigh  of  welcome  to  those  approaching  him 
won  all  hearts. 

In  due  time  the  great  city  was  reached,  and 
Beauty  had  much  to  learn  and  much  to  reason 
out  in  his  own  horse  mind.  His  home  was  to  be 
far  up-town  on  Riverside  Drive,  and  Jess  rode 
him  to  his  new  master's  address.  Eighth  Ave- 
nue with  its  continuous  traffic,  its  clanging  trol- 
ley cars  and  its  mingled  noises  excited  his  curi- 
osity; and  time  and  again  he  would  stop  short, 
raise  his  head,  and  draw  in  long,  audible  breaths, 
as  though  trying  to  smell  something  familiar, 
while  his  great,  eloquent  eyes  flashed  from  one 
strange  object  to  another. 

34 


A    BLUE    GRASS    BEAUTY 

Jess  let  him  have  his  own  way,  talking  to  him 
meanwhile  as  though  he  were  one  of  the  numer- 
ous small  Jesses  at  home.  "Lor,  Honey,  is  yer 
cravin'  ter  put  on  city  style  right  off?  A-stand- 
in'  up  here  an'  a-snuffin'  an'  a-smellin'  like  yer 
was  a-tryin'  fer  ter  take  in  de  city  airs  froo  yer 
nose, ' '  and  Jess  chuckled  at  his  own  joke. ' '  Now, 
don't  yer  bat  yer  big  eyes  at  dem  cyars,  case  dey 
ain't  agoin'  ter  jump  der  tracks  fer  no  colt,  don't 
make  no  diff'ence  how  much  quality-folks  he  is. 
So  come  right  long,  Honey,  and  fust  ting  yer 
knows  yer  '11  be  de  grandee  ob  de  stable  up 
yander. ' ' 

And  so  it  went,  till  Beauty  was  safely  de- 
livered at  his  future  master's  stable.  Then 
came  the  trial  drive,  in  which  Beauty  learned 
that  city  horses  wore  a  very  different  sort  of 
harness  from  the  one  he  had  been  accustomed  to, 
and  even  though  the  beautiful  head  was  natur- 
ally held  at  a  noble  angle,  a  check  rein  kept  it 
there  for  hours,  no  matter  what  the  grade  of 
road,  or  what  laws  governed  his  motions  under 
certain  conditions. 

3 — Blue  Grass  Beauty.  -jr 


A    BLUE    GRASS    BEAUTY 

The  tender,  sensitive  mouth,  which  had  never 
known  or  needed  anything  heavier  than  a  bar 
bit,  found  the  heavy  curb  hard  to  endure,  yet 
Beauty  endured  with  a  wonderful  good  grace, 
accepting  the  whole  thing  as  a  sort  of  mistake 
on  the  groom's  part,  which,  doubtless,  he  would 
remedy  when  he  learned  that  such  precautions 
were  unnecessary.  The  long,  sweeping  tail  was 
knotted  up— why  Beauty  could  not  understand, 
for  it  was  not  muddy,  and  he  had  never  had  his 
tail  tied  up  unless  the  roads  at  home  were  soft. 

Poor  Beauty,  he  had  yet  to  learn  that  man 
knows  a  thing  or  two  more  than  the  Lord  who 
created  him,  and  that  dumb  beasts  must  be  edu- 
cated to  that  point  too,  if  possible. 

We  must  pass  by  those  three  years,  in  which 
Beauty's  education  advanced  rapidly,  for  from 
the  very  moment  Jess  left  him,  to  the  present 
date,  Beauty's  horse  mind  had  to  grasp  many 
startling  facts,  and  it  is  difficult  to  recognize  in 
the  present  Beauty  the  animal  which  Jess  rode 
up  Eighth  Avenue  almost  three  years  ago.   The 

36 


A    BLUE    GRASS    BEAUTY 

soft,  silky  mane  is  reduced  to  a  mere  bristly 
brush,  running  along  his  neck,  the  forelock  has 
disappeared  completely,  and,  alas,  for  the  tail,  it 
will  never  again  wave  like  a.  triumphant  banner, 
emphasizing  Beauty's  joy  at  being  in  a  world  so 
sweet. 

But  in  the  eyes  and  ears  lay  the  most  pathetic 
story,  the  softness,  the  gentleness,  the  love  which 
beamed  from  them  upon  mankind  has  given 
place  to  a  nervous,  questioning  apprehension, 
while  the  delicate  ears  which  formerly  always 
pointed  so  gracefully  forward,  now,  move  rap- 
idly back  and  forth,  or  are  held  alertly  erect, 
striving  to  grasp  by  sound  what  the  eyes  are  un- 
able to  see  owing  to  the  close  blinders ;  ears  that 
betrayed  to  the  initiated  that  the  horse  has 
learned  rather  to  dread  the  driver's  voice  than 
to  welcome  it,  and  to  understand  that  the  word  is 
often  replaced  by  the  hissing  of  the  whip,  as  the 
most  approved  manner  of  "starting  off  with 
eclat,"  and  he  has  grown  to  expect  the  sudden 
stinging  lash  across  his  flanks  which  sets  every 
nerve  a-quiver. 

37 


A    BLUE    GRASS    BEAUTY 

But  what  of  that?  He  is  only  a  horse, 
and  can  never  proclaim  to  the  world  that, 
each  day  and  each  hour  of  his  life,  he  is  a  martyr 
to  the  inexorable  decrees  of  Dame  Fashion. 

Twice  during  the  three  years  he  had  carried 
off  the  Blue  Ribbon  at  the  great  shov/  held  in 
Madison  Square  Garden,  and  fabulous  sums  of 
money  had  been  offered  for  him.  But  his  mas- 
ter had  not  yet  tired  of  him. 

It  was  November  and  the  week  of  the  year 
for  society  and  horses.  All  that  was  beau- 
tiful, graceful  and  perfect  was  gathered  be- 
neath that  vast  roof.  This  year  Beauty 
was  not  to  be  entered,  for  a  slight  mishap 
had  disqualified  him.  It  might  easily  have 
been  avoided,  and  that  fact  did  not  add  to  the 
peace  of  mind  of  either  his  owner,  or  the  owner's 
coachman,  whose  fault  it  was.  Everything  had 
been  shaping  well  till  a  few  days  before  the  en- 
tries were  to  be  made,  and  Mr.  Titus  was  already 
congratulating   himself   upon   the    prospective 

38 


A    BLUE    GRASS    BEAUTY 

landing  of  Blue  Ribbon  number  three,  when  all 
his  anticipations  were  shattered. 

There  were  several  horses  beside  Beauty  in 
Mr.  Titus'  stable,  and  according  to'  generally 
conceived  ideas  regarding  such  animals,  they 
were  well  treated.  That  is,  they  had  a  fine  stable, 
clean  and  well  ventilated ;  their  harness  was  the 
handsomest  and  finest  that  could  be  procured; 
they  were  fed  the  best  food  and  fed  regularly. 
Dempsey,  the  coachman,  and  Murray,  the 
groom,  were,  upon  the  whole,  reliable  men. 

If  the  horses  did  not  know  the  meaning 
of  a  soft,  gentle  word  now  and  again; 
if  sudden  stinging  slaps  were  administered 
by  muscular  hands  at  the  slightest  motion 
while  they  were  being  groomed,  or  at  their 
failure  instantly  to  respond  to  the  command  to 
' '  get  over  there, ' '  when  their  stalls  were  entered ; 
if  their  blinders  were  drawn  in  so  tightly  by  the 
crown  strap  that  they  rested  against  the  deli- 
cate eyes  and  caused  the  most  painful  irritation ; 
or  if  the  check-reins  kept  their  heads  so  drawn 

i         39 


A    BLUE    GRASS    BEAUTY 

back  that  breathing  became  distressing,  what  of 
that  1    It  all  came  in  the  regular  course  of  things. 

"Pettin'  don't  do  fer  bosses.  It  only  spiles 
'em,  an'  ye  can't  git  no  style  out  of  a  boss 
what  's  fussed  over,"  was  a  sage  remark  once 
made  by  a  coachman  whose  horses  were  never 
guilty  of  turning  their  heads  either  to  right  or 
left  while  he  had  them  in  hand. 

Beauty's  mishap  was  the  very  natural  out- 
come of  this  condition  of  things,  for  one 
evening  when  Dempsey  was  just  entering  his 
stall  with  a  heavy  bucket  of  water,  Beauty  ut- 
terly forgot  himself  in  his  eagerness  for  the 
coming  drink,  and  turning  his  head  around  nick- 
ered as  he  used  to  do  long  ago  at  home  when  old 
black  Jess  brought  him  his  drink  and  stood  be- 
side him  stroking  the  silky  mane,  and  assuring 
him  that  "there  wa  n't  ner  anudder  like  him  on 
dis  y earth. ' ' 

As  Dempsey  came  into  the  stall  Beauty's 
nose  hit  the  bucket,  and  some  of  the  water 
was     spilled.        Dempsey     jerked     backward 

40 


A    BLUE    GRASS    BEAUTY 

and  uttered  a  sharp  reproof,  which  he  accom- 
panied with  the  ever-ready  slap.  Beauty 
plunged  sideways,  the  bucket  dropped  from 
Dempsey's  hand,  and  rolled  beneath  Beauty's 
feet,  water  and  all.  Another  wild  plunge  and 
Beauty's  chances  at  the  Horse  Show  were  gone, 
for  a  thin  streak  of  blood  down  his  off  leg  told 
that  the  bucket  handle  was  held  in  place  by 
heavy  iron  plates. 

It  was  not  a  very  deep  cut,  after  all,  but 
quite  deep  enough  to  lame  him  for  several 
days,  and  to  leave  a  scar  for  many  more. 
A  scar  and  the  Horse  Show  drawing  near!  Mr. 
Titus  was  informed  that ' l  Somehow  the  hoss  had 
managed  to  calk  himself  in  the  night, ' '  and  was 
left  to  wonder  how  he  could  possibly  do  it  with- 
out calks  on  his  shoes. 

But  even  though  Beauty  was  now  beyond  the 
pale  of  respectability,  so  far  as  the  great  ring 
was  concerned,  he  could  still  stand  at  the  gates 
of  paradise,  so  to  speak,  there  to  deposit  his  mas- 
ter and  his  elegantly  attired  mistress.    No  hand- 

41 


A    BLUE    GRASS    BEAUTY 

somer  equipage  came  up  to  that  door  than  Mr. 
Titus',  for  the  cut  leg  had  entirely  healed,  and 
only  a  slight  stiffness  betrayed  that  it  had  ever 
been  hurt  at  all.  Many  were  the  admiring 
glances  cast  upon  the  beautiful  bay  horse,  and 
none  more  appreciative  than  those  of  a  dark- 
haired  girl  about  twenty-one  years  of  age,  who 
visited  the  Horse  Show  each  day. 

Again  and  again,  as  she  was  about  to  enter 
the  Garden,  she  would  pause  in  the  foyer  and 
wait  a  little  in  order  to  see  the  bay  horse  which 
always  came  at  about  the  same  hour.  She  was 
accompanied  by  an  elderly  gentleman  and  one  a 
few  years  her  senior,  and  all  three  bore  the  air  of 
knowing  a  fine  horse  when  they  saw  one,  as  well 
as  a  certain  untrammeled  freedom  of  manner  as 
though  they  were  accustomed  to  a  large  breath- 
ing space,  and  were  very  sufficient  unto  them- 
selves. Without  the  slightest  sign  of  boldness  or 
self-consciousness,  the  girl  still  possessed  a  re- 
markable self-poise  and  freedom  of  speech  and 
manner,  and  her  comments  upon  the  animals 

42 


A    BLUE    GRASS    BEAUTY 

she  saw  caused  more  than  one  old  horseman  to 
glance  at  her  in  surprise. 

It  was  the  closing  day  of  the  show,  and  the  pre- 
ceding ones  had  been  fraught  with  many  start- 
ling revelations  for  humanitarians  of  the  present 
day  and  age,  and  not  a  few  outsiders  had  asked 
whether  or  not  we  were  returning  to  the  dark 
ages,  for  startling  discoveries  had  been  made, 
and  much  had  been  learned  regarding  "ways 
that  are  dark"  and  "tricks  which  are"— well, 
let  us  substitute  the  word  fiendish  for  "vain." 
Horses  had  been  driven  to  the  Garden  harnessed 
in  every  conceivable  and  inconceivable  manner, 
all  intended  to  put  "style"  in  them,  never  mind 
at  what  cost. 

Upon  this  last  day,  Dempsey  decided  to  outdo 
the  outdone,  and  get  Beauty  up  in  a  style  that 
should  carry  all  before  it.  Harness  was  accord- 
ingly polished  as  never  before,  and  everything 
was  in  the  most  perfect  order  possible.  Then 
came  harnessing,  and  when  Dempsey  drove  up  to 
his  master's  door,  and  Mr.  Titus  came  out  to  take 

43 


A    BLUE    GRASS    BEAUTY 

a  final  inspection  before  assisting  his  wife  into 
the  victoria.,  he  marveled  greatly  at  the  still  more 
pronounced  "action"  of  his  handsome  horse. 
The  feet  were  pawing,  the  head  tossed  up  and 
down  as  though  the  impatient  animal  were  so 
full  of  life  that  he  simply  could  not  await  the 
start,  yet  when  the  head  was  moved  slightly 
sideways,  a  quick,  nervous  plunge  would  be 
made,  very  much  as  one  would  start  at  a  sudden, 
keen  pin-prick. 

The  Garden  was  reached,  and  Beauty  fell 
in  line  behind  a  long  string  of  carriages 
which  were  depositing  their  occupants.  The 
line  was  unusually  long,  for  there  seemed  to 
be  much  more  delay  than  usual.  At  last  Beauty 
stood  five  from  the  entrance ;  Dempsey  began  to 
get  his  eyes  open,  and  his  usually  florid  cheeks 
took  on  a  lighter  shade.  With  a  muttered  ex- 
pletive, he  gave  Beauty  a  keen  lash  with  the 
whip,  and  drew  sharply  upon  the  left  rein  to 
turn  him  out  of  the  line.  His  master  made  a 
quick  protest,  and  partly  arose  from  the  seat. 

44 


A    BLUE    GRASS    BEAUTY 

But  it  was  too  late.  Dear,  patient,  handsome 
Beauty's  nerves  had  called  a  halt,  and  a  second 
later  he  had  given  one  wild  despairing  leap  up 
into  the  air,  then  plunged  forward,  and  curbs, 
burrs,  checks,  and  whips  were  forgotten  in  the 
desperate  dash  for  freedom. 


45 


BACK  IN  GOD'S  COUNTRY 


CHAPTER  III 


BACK  IN  GOD  S  COUNTRY 


IT  was  all  over  in  a  moment !  The  wheel  col- 
lided with  one  much  heavier  and  stronger ; 
the  axle  snapped ;  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Titus  were 
thrown  upon  the  pavement,  and  more  or  less 
bruised,  while  a  block  farther  up  the  avenue 
several  strong  hands  were  striving  to  subdue  the 
now  half-maddened  horse,  which,  with  one  final 
plunge,  had  slipped  upon  the  wet  asphalt  and 
there  lay  prone,  quivering  in  every  nerve. 

Dempsey  had  been  pitched  headforemost  over 
the  dashboard  at  the  very  outset,  for  his  nerves 
had  already  received  one  shock,  and  he  lost  his 
head  completely.  Murray  hurried  to  the  assist- 
ance of  his  master  and  mistress,  and  Beauty  was 
left  to  the  mercy  of  strangers. 

49 


A    BLUE    GRASS    BEAUTY 

Some  one  was  removing  his  headstall  when  a 
fine-looking  young  man  stepped  up,  and  asked: 
"Can't  I  help  a  bit  here!"  and  a  second  later 
Beauty  stood  upon  his  feet  again.  "By  Jove, 
he  is  a  beauty;  is  n't  he?"  said  the  man,  as  he 
helped  to  set  things  straight,  and  as  he  spoke 
the  last  word,  the  horse  turned  his  head  quick- 
ly and  gave  a  soft  little  whinny,  then  started 
as  though  fearing  a  rebuke.  But  the  man, 
going  quickly  to  the  horse's  head,  put  his 
hand  in  his  coat  pocket  and  asked:  "Sugar, 
Beauty?  Have  some  sugar?"  and  he  almost 
laughed  aloud  in  his  delight  when  the  horse,  tak- 
ing a  step  or  two  toward  him,  nipped  and  pulled 
gently  at  his  buttons.  "Beauty,  by  all  that  is 
wonderful!"  exclaimed  the  man,  as  he  caressed 
the  horse,  which  crowded  up  to  him  as  though 
he  had  found  a  safe  haven  from  his  tormentors. 

"How  's  that  for  torture?"  asked  the  man, 
holding  up  the  lately  removed  headstall  to  show 
within  the  leather  rings  upon  each  side  of  the 
bit  a  rampant  array  of  tiny  sharp  spikes.    As  he 

50 


A    BLUE    GRASS    BEAUTY 

drew  near  with  the  headstall  the  horse  gave  a 
nervous  plunge,  but  was  instantly  checked  by  a 
word  from  the  other  man  beside  him.  ' '  There, 
there,  Beauty,  old  fellow!  Quiet  down  a  bit. 
Quiet  down  a  bit,"  he  said  soothingly,  and  the 
horse  at  once  ceased  his  frightened  plunging. 
''You  seem  to  know  him,"  said  the  officer. 
"Who  owns  him;  do  you  know?" 

"I  can't  tell  you  who  owns  him  now,  but  I 
have  known  this  horse  ever  since  he  first  piped 
his  eye  upon  the  world,  have  n't  I,  Beauty?  I  'd 
know  him  and  all  his  little  tricks  among  a  thou- 
sand. So  would  Bess;  would  n't  she,  Beauty? 
Wish  she  could  see  you  now.  George,  how  those 
eyes  would  snap  at  the  sight  of  that  thing  yon- 
der," and  he  nodded  toward  the  headstall.  As 
though  his  words  had  summoned  her,  Bess  stood 
upon  the  curbstone  and  gave  a  little  cry  of  as- 
tonishment. 

"Oh,  Bert!  I  knew  it,  I  knew  it!  It  is 
Beauty,  is  n't  it.  I  knew  I  could  not  be  mis- 
taken, though  they  have  nearly  deprived  him  of 

4, — Blue  Grass  Beauty.  c\ 


A    BLUE    GRASS    BEAUTY 

his  beauty.  Beauty,  Beauty,  don't  you  remem- 
ber me?"  she  cried,  as  Bert  Conant  led  him  up 
to  the  curbstone,  where  she  stood  with  both 
hands  outstretched,  as  she  would  have  held  them 
out  to  a  child.  No  child  ever  responded  more 
promptly  than  did  Beauty,  and  in  an  instant  all 
trials  were  forgotten. 

Mr.  Titus,  having  given  his  wife  over  to  the 
care  of  sympathetic  friends,  who  were  now  con- 
doling with  her  on  the  accident  caused  by  ' '  that 
vicious  horse,"  and  urging  her  to  "dispose  of 
him  without  an  instant's  delay,"  now  appeared 
upon  the  scene  with  Murray,  to  claim  their  ar- 
rant animal. 

"I  paid  six  hundred  dollars  for  that  beast 
less  than  three  years  ago,  but  I  'd  take  two  this 
minute,  if  anyone  was  fool  enough  to  offer  it. 
He  '11  never  be  worth  a  cent  to  me  again,  for  my 
wife  vows  that  nothing  will  induce  her  to  drive 
behind  him  after  this  experience." 

"I  '11  take  your  offer,  sir, ' '  promptly  answered 
a  voice  at  his  elbow.     "Will  you  have  your 

52 


A    BLUE    GRASS    BEAUTY 

check  right  now?  Can't  be  too  quick  for  me." 
Mr.  Titus  turned  sharply  about  to  find  him- 
self confronted  by  a  very  determined  looking 
young  man,  who  held  in  his  hands  a  check-book 
and  a  fountain  pen,  as  though  prepared  to  back 
up  his  assertion. 

"And  may  I  ask  who  you  might  be,  young 
sir?"  he  asked  in  a  tone  which  caused  the  blood 
of  the  old  Conants  to  rise  up  in  defiance,  as  Bert 
replied:  "Well,  I  might  be  the  Shah  of  Persia, 
but  I  am  Mr.  Herbert  Colfax  Conant,  at  your 
service,  sir.  Permit  me  to  offer  you  my  card," 
and  he  handed  it  to  Mr.  Titus. 

The  older  man  smiled  in  spite  of  himself  at  the 
answer  so  promptly  given,  and  taking  a  card 
from  his  own  pocket-book,  handed  it  to  Bert 
with  the  words : ' '  Call  at  my  office  on  Monday  at 
eleven,  and  we  will  settle  this  matter;"  then 
turning  to  his  groom  he  ordered  him  to  take  the 
horse  back  home  at  once.  After  some  further  de- 
lay Mr.  Titus  rejoined  his  wife,  and  was  pres- 
ently lost  to  sight  in  the  throng.     Not  so  four 

53 


A    BLUE    GRASS    BEAUTY 

others,  with  whom  we  will  finish  this   story. 

"Do  you  think  he  will  accept  your  offer?" 
said  Bess  as  she  clasped  both  hands  upon  Bert 's 
arm  in  her  eagerness,  just  as  the  old  Bess  would 
have  done  three  years  ago. 

"I  '11  make  him,"  was  the  wild  assertion,  for 
Bert  was  not  wholly  accountable  for  what  he  was 
saying  at  that  moment.  It  was  nearly  two  years 
since  he  had  seen  Bess ;  for,  shortly  after  Beauty 
came  North,  Bert  had  come  also,  to  accept  a  posi- 
tion with  a  prominent  law  firm.  They  had  been 
years  of  rapid  advancement  and  great  success 
for  him,  and  the  dream,  or  part  of  it,  had  been 
realized,  for  the  old  home  presented  a  very  dif- 
ferent appearance,  and  his  father  took  infinite 
pride,  when  he  displayed  some  little  luxury  to  his 
friends,  in  saying,  "My  son  insists  upon  pre- 
senting all  these  little  comforts  to  me.  I  'm 
proud  of  him,  sir!  Very  proud  of  him.  He  will 
make  his  mark  in  the  world,  sir. ' ' 

Still,  the  old  dream-picture  lacked  one  thing 
to  make  it  perfect. 

54 


A    BLUE    GRASS    BEAUTY 

"How  did  you  know  him?"  demanded  Fred, 
as  he  slipped  his  hand  through  Bert's  unham- 
pered arm,  and  walked  beside  his  old  friend. 
"Bess  has  been  watching  that  identical  horse  for 
the  entire  week,  and  insisting  that  it  was  old 
Beauty  in  spite  of  all  father  and  I  could  say  to 
the  contrary,  for  we  never  would  have  recog- 
nized him,  docked  and  trimmed  up  in  that  fash- 
ion. It  is  a  perfect  shame  to  mutilate  a  horse 
like  that." 

"Bess  never  forgets  old  friends;  do  you, 
daughter?"  said  Mr.  Corbin  as  he  took  his  place 
beside  her  and  gave  her  a  light  pat  upon  the 
shoulder,  while  he  glanced  quickly  at  Bert,  who 
saw  the  glance  and  colored  slightly. 

But  Bess  was  too  absorbed  in  the  subject  of 
Beauty's  trials  to  give  a  thought  to  other  mat- 
ters; and  as  she  still  clasped  her  hands  about 
Bert's  arm,  she  asked: 

"Will  you  really  buy  him,  Bert?  Can  you 
now  ?    Won 't  the  price  be  dreadfully  high  ? ' ' 

"What  will  you  give  me  if  I  buy  him  and 

55 


A    BLUE    GRASS    BEAUTY 

send  him  down  to  the  farm  for  you  to  take  care 
of  till  I  come  down  on  my  vacation  next  sum- 
mer? I  have  n't  had  a  vacation  in  two  years, 
and  my  next  one  is  going  to  last  at  least  ai 
month,"  said  Bert,  looking  down  upon  the 
bonny,  earnest  face  beside  him. 

' '  Oh,  I  '11  give  you  anything  in  the  world  you 
want !  The  very  nicest  thing  I  have,  if  you  will 
only  send  him  safe  home, ' '  cried  Bess. 

"Good!  He  '11  come.  I  '11  buy  him  now  if  I 
go  broke  for  six  months.  Then  I  '11  come  down 
and  keep  you  to  your  word, ' '  and  Bert  laughed 
his  very  happiest  laugh ;  but  Bess  looked  slightly 
troubled  as  she  asked :  ' '  Truly,  Bert,  can  you  af- 
ford it?  Don't  laugh,  I  'm  in  earnest  now,  and 
please  don't  think  I  'm  inquisitive.  We  have 
been  friends  so  long,  you  know. ' ' 

"And  we  're  going  to  be  lots  longer  if  I  have 
anything  to  say  about  it.  Don't  worry  your  lit- 
tle heart,  and  I  shan  't  go  on  my  uppers  just  yet. 
Ross  and  Beemis  seem  to  think  I  'm  worth  quite 
a  tidy  sum  to  them ;  they  have  just  told  me  they 

56 


A    BLUE    GRASS    BEAUTY 

are  afraid  I  can't  keep  the  wolf  from  my  door 
on  my  present  salary,  so  they  are  going  to  throw 
in  four  hundred  more  next  year.  That  will  be 
more  than  enough  to  buy  Beauty  back;  don't 
you  believe  it  will?"  They  had  reached  their 
box  in  the  Garden  by  this  time,  and  presently  all 
were  absorbed  in  watching  the  handsome  horses 
in  the  ring. 

June  with  all  her  beauty  and  bloom  was  mak- 
ing the  world  anew,  and  in  no  part  of  it  had  she 
been  busier  than  in  the  great  "Blue  Grass"  re- 
gion. There  her  lavishness  was  rewarded  four- 
fold, and  wood  and  field  testified  to  her  handi- 
work. Birds  sang  among  the  trees  and  shrubs 
as  though  they  would  never  cease  singing,  and 
a  perfect  ecstasy  of  melody  filled  the  air.  Nor 
were  they  the  only  warblers  in  the  woods  that 
lovely  June  morning. 

Coming  down  the  pretty  wood-road,  with  her 
riding-cap  resting  upon  her  lap,  and  the  sun- 
shine flickering  through  the  leaves  upon  her 
pretty  hair  which  her  ride  had  somewhat  loos- 

57 


A    BLUE    GRASS    BEAUTY 

ened  from  its  pins  and  combs— one  hand  hold- 
ing her  reins  loosely,  while  the  other  stroked 
the  silky  neck  of  Beauty— rode  Bess,  singing  at 
the  top  of  her  voice  for  very  gladness.  Beauty 
stepped  sedately  along,  choosing  the  softest 
spots  to  place  his  feet,  as  though  his  beloved 
burden  must  not  receive  the  slightest  jar. 

Presently  he  turned  his  head  partly  around 
as  though  to  catch  a  glimpse  of  the  singer,  but 
immediately  gave  a  slight  start  as  though  he 
expected  the  whip  she  carried  to  fall  upon  him. 
' '  Oh,  Beauty,  zuhy  do  you  do  so  1 "  cried  Bess,  as 
she  abruptly  ceased  singing,  and  leaning  for- 
ward clasped  her  arms  about  his  warm,  soft 
neck.  "Don't  you  knozu  that  Bess  won't  punish 
you?  What  did  they  do  to  you  up  North,  that 
you  are  so  frightened  all  the  time?  I  wonder  if 
the  old  confidence  will  ever  return.  There  now, 
don't  be  frightened  again,  and  turn  around  just 
as  often  as  you  like.  I  'in  singing  to  you,  and 
you  must  show  your  appreciation. ' '  A  merry  lit- 
tle laugh  bubbled  to  her  lips;  so  near  her  lips  lie 

a  young  girl's  heart. 

58 


^Vte^  €^*0^/^^; 


A  Blue  Grass  Beauty. 

"'YOU    WANT    ME,    BERT?' 
59 


A    BLUE    GRASS    BEAUTY 

Then  the  happy  old  Beauty  seemed  to  come 
back,  and  with  a  soft  whinny  he  broke  into 
a  joyous  canter,  tossed  his  head  as  of  old,  and 
tried  to  wave  his  docked  tail.  As  they  swung 
along  in  the  varying  sunlight  and  shadow  of  the 
woods,  the  thud,  thud  of  a  rapidly  approaching 
horse  sounded  upon  the  ground.  Bess  turned  to 
look  over  her  shoulder,  and  Bert  Conant  emerged 
from  the  trees,  riding  Fred's  pet  horse.  He 
waved  his  hat  and  called :  ' '  Free  for  six  weeks, 
Bess,  and  I  've  come  straight  down  to  claim  my 
reward ! ' '  Then,  as  he  drew  up  close  beside  her, 
and  Beauty  and  Bonny  Lass  rubbed  noses  to- 
gether, he  added  more  seriously,  and  his  voice 
quivered  slightly : ' '  You  promised  to  give  me  the 
very  best  thing  in  the  world  if  I  chose  to  claim  it, 
Bess,  and  now  I  am  going  to  do  so,  dear.  I  have 
waited  a  long  time,  yet  never  dared  to  ask  for  it 
before.  But  the  old  dream  can  never  be  perfect 
till  I  have  you,  little  girl." 

Bess  had  looked  at  him  incredulously  as  he 
poured  out  the  words,  and  then  her  big  eyes 

61 


A    BLUE    GRASS    BEAUTY 

opened  wide  as  she  asked:  "You  want  me,  Bert? 
Just  me!"  as  though  it  were  hard  to  realize  that 
the  old  boy  and  girl  friendship  had  given  place 
to  a  man's  deep  love  for  a  woman. 

' '  '  Just  me, '  dear.  In  one  respect  not  such  a 
tremendous  thing  to  claim,  but  in  another  the 
greatest  you  can  give  me.  Can  you  give  it,  my 
little  girl?"  Bert's  face  was  very  earnest  as  he 
spoke,  and  leaning  across  he  placed  his  hand 
upon  the  gloved  one  which  but  a  few  minutes  be- 
fore had  been  caressing  Beauty. 

Bess  did  not  speak  for  a  moment,  but  looked 
off  through  the  fairy-like  woods  as  though  try- 
ing to  read  her  answer  in  its  sylvan  depths;  then 
turning  a  pink  cheek  toward  the  man  regarding 
her  so  closely  she  answered,  as  she  looked  up  at 
him  from  under  her  little  elf  locks  blowing  all 
about  her  face:  "I  never  break  my  word,  Bert." 


62 


WHIZZER,  WHIRLIGIG  AND 
BUSTER 


WHIZZER,  WHIRLIGIG  AND  BUSTER 

£,  9f  |  "MENTION!  Pwesent  Arms!  'Ten- 
Li  tion!  Wight  face!  Forward 
March!"  cried  a  childish  voice 
from  the  opposite  side  of  the  tall  hedge. 

"What  sort  of  orders  is  them?"  questioned 
a.  surly  voice,  and  its  owner  parted  the  thick 
branches  of  the  hedge  to  peer  through  it  at 
what  was  taking  place  within  the  grounds  which 
the  hedge  divided  from  the  dusty  roadway. 

A  curious  sight  met  the  man's  gaze,  for  in  the 
very  center  of  the  velvety  lawn,  with  its  patches 
of  sunlight  and  shade,  stood  a  fairy-like  little 
figure  of  about  six  summers,  daintily  arrayed 
in  a  white  frock,  with  a  broad  sash  of  red,  white 
and  blue  draped  from  her  shoulder  and  fastened 
in  a  large  bow  under  her  left  arm,  a  " Liberty" 
cap  made  of  a  small  silk  flag  was  stuck  upon  her 

65 


WHIZZER,    WHIRLIGIG    AND    BUSTER 

head,  and  in  one  hand  she  grasped  a  small 
sword,  while  with  the  other  she  waved  the 
American  flag. 

In  front  of  her,  gayly  decked  with  small  flags, 
stood  a  monstrous  St.  Bernard  dog,  regarding 
her  with  its  beautiful,  intelligent  eyes.  With 
every  change  of  tone  or  attitude,  his  ears  were 
raised,  or  lowered,  and  his  head  turned  a  little 
to  one  side.  Neither  was  aware  of  the  third 
pair  of  eyes  at  the  hedge,  for  it  was  some  dis- 
tance from  where  the  pair  stood,  and  they  were 
much  occupied  with  their  own  concerns. 

Presently  the  order  was  repeated  in  a  more 
peremptory  tone,  and  the  great  dog  arose  to  his 
hind  feet,  waved  his  front  ones  wildly  in  the 
air  once  or  twice,  and  then  took  a  few  clumsy 
steps  forward,  as  the  child  retreated  backward, 
waving  her  flag  and  flourishing  her  sword. 

Then  down  he  came,  to  have  his  small  cap- 
tain rush  upon  him  and  embrace  him  raptur- 
ously, and  assure  him  that  he  was  "just  the  very 
bestest  dog  that  ever  lived!"       Then  the  drill 

66 


WHIZZER,    WHIRLIGIG    AND    BUSTER 

proceeded,  and  the  dog  was  put  through  all  man- 
ner of  evolutions,  meantime  being  assured  that 
it  "would  vewry  soon  be  the  Fourth  of  July," 
and  that  ' '  Uncle  Fwed  would  come  to  spend  it 
with  them,"  and  "How  'shamed  you  'd  be  if 
you  did  n  't  know  how  to  'bey  orders  when  Uncle 
Fwed  gave  'em. ' ' 

In  the  midst  of  the  drilling  a  gentleman  came 
out  upon  the  porch,  and  called:  "Come  along, 
little  patriot!  The  carriage  will  be  here  in  a 
few  minutes,  and  you  '11  want  an  every-day  hat 
on  instead  of  your  liberty  cap. ' '  With  a  part- 
ing hug  for  her  companion,  the  child  tossed 
down  her  sword  and  flag,  and  skipping  across 
the  lawn,  ran  up  to  the  piazza  steps  and  van- 
ished within  the  house  with  "Daddy,"  whom 
she  assured  that  "she  could  n't  live  a  single  day 
without  'Buster.'  " 

Nothing  had  escaped  either  the  eyes  or  ears 
upon  the  outer  side  of  the  hedge,  and  barely 
had  the  beautiful  little  figure  vanished  than  its 
human  antithesis  withdrew  his  gaze,  muttered 

5— Blue  Grass  Beauty.  fay 


WHIZZER,    WHIRLIGIG    AND    BUSTER 

something  beneath  his  breath,  and  lurched  off 
down  the  road  a  little  way.  Flinging  himself 
upon  the  soft  grass  at  the  roadside,  he  watched 
the  entrance  gate  of  the  big  house,  and  presently 
saw  a  carriage  drive  from  it,  then  a  wicked  light 
came  into  his  eyes,  and  turning  into  the  fields, 
he  made  his  way  to  the  rear  of  the  building. 

It  was  perhaps  four  hours  later  when  this 
same  figure  was  making  its  way  swiftly  along 
an  unfrequented  wood  road  which  led  toward 
the  river,  leading  a  big  dog  by  a  piece  of  rope. 
Over  the  animal 's  head  was  tied  a  piece  of  bag- 
ging, which  every  few  minutes  he  tried  to  shake 
off,  but  it  was  too  firmly  tied  about  his  neck. 

The  railway  track  ran  close  to  the  river  bank, 
and  standing  upon  a  side  track  were  several  box 
cars.  The  man  looked  sharply  in  every  direc- 
tion, but  no  sign  of  living  thing  was  to  be  seen. 
Then  he  scrambled  down  the  bank,  pushed 
open  the  door  of  one  of  the  empty  cars,  man- 
aged to  get  the  dog  into  the  car  and  follow 
it   quickly  himself.     Then  he   drew  the  door 

68 


WHIZZER,    WHIRLIGIG    AND    BUSTER 

together  and  ended  the  first  act  of  the  story. 

At  midnight  a  freight  train  drew  up  to  the 
siding,  the  empty  cars  were  attached  to  it,  and 
the  brakeman  shouted  "all  right,"  and  away 
rolled  the  cars,  the  man  and  the  dog. 

The  dawn  was  breaking  over  the  town  of 
Greenwold,  when  the  train  slowed  up,  and  the 
empty  cars  were  cut  loose  to  go  rolling  into  the 
freight  yard  on  a  flying  switch.  Presently  they 
came  to  a  standstill,  and  when  all  was  quiet 
again  the  man  slipped  from  the  car,  dragging 
the  dog  after  him. 

As  he  removed  the  bagging  from  the  animal 's 
head  he  was  threatened  with  a  low  growl  and  it 
seemed  as  though  the  dog  meant  to  fly  at  him, 
but  a  brutal  blow  upon  his  head  very  nearly 
stunned  him  into  submission.  Then  they  made 
their  way  into  the  town  proper,  where  the  hand- 
some dog  attracted  much  attention.  Putting 
on  a  brave  front,  the  man  made  his  way  to  a  sa- 
loon, and  ere  long  was  regaling  himself  upon 
what  it  had  to  offer.     But  he  paid  no  heed  to 

69 


WHIZZER,    WHIRLIGIG    AND    BUSTER 

the  dog's  needs,  although  that  intelligent  crea- 
ture did  everything  but  speak  his  hunger. 

About  an  hour  had  passed,  when  the  man 
emerged  from  the  saloon,  and  made  his  way  un- 
steadily down  the  street,  leading  the  dog  with 
him.  He  had  tried  to  induce  the  saloon-keeper 
to  buy  the  dog,  but  could  not  strike  a  bargain 
with  him.  As  the  pair  disappeared  down  the 
road  the  saloon-keeper  remarked  to  some  of  his 
customers: 

"He  never  came  by  that  beast  honest.  That 
dog  's  worth  a  tidy  sum." 

Several  days  passed,  and  the  great  and  glor- 
ious day  of  our  land  drew  near.  In  all  the  shops 
of  Greenwold  flags  and  fireworks  were  dis- 
played, and  the  boys  were  saving  every  penny 
they  could  beg  or  earn  for  the  purchase  of  fire- 
crackers. 

Greenwold  was  a  quiet  little  town,  but  its  citi- 
zens, both  old  and  young,  were  very  patriotic; 
especially  the  latter.  But  Greenwold  was  also 
very  conservative  in  its  ideas  regarding  educa- 

70 


WHIZZER,    WHIRLIGIG    AND    BUSTER 

tion  and  the  institutions  connected  therewith, 
and  had  no  intention  of  closing  its  schoolroom 
doors  a  moment  earlier  than  seemed  absolutely 
necessary. 

So  the  rising  generation  of  Greenwold  fumed 
and  fidgeted  at  its  tasks,  took  surreptitious 
peeps  out  of  the  school-room  windows  when  it 
should  have  been  absorbed  in  nine-times-five, 
wondered  if  Mr.  Brown,  who  kept  a  general 
store  just  over  the  way,  had  got  anything  new 
since  the  doors  had  closed  upon  them  at  nine 
o'clock,  and  hated  school  and  all  pertaining  to 
it  when  they  had  to  stay  shut  up  within  its  walls 
the  day  before  the  Fourth.  True,  it  was  the 
last  day,  and  to-morrow  would  begin  a  long  va- 
cation, but  why  could  n't  it  have  begun  sooner? 

However,  everything  must  end,  and  when 
three  strokes  were  tolled  off  on  the  town  clock, 
a  howling,  shouting  mass  burst  from  the  school- 
house  doors,  and,  like  shot  from  a  blunderbuss, 
scattered  in  every  direction. 

"Come     on,    Whizzer!      I    '11     beat  yer    to 

71 


WHIZZER,    WHIRLIGIG    AND    BUSTER 

Brown's.  Bet  lie  's  got  them  sky-rockets  he 
said  he  was  a-goin'  ter  have!"  cried  a  black- 
eyed  little  chap,  stopping  in  his  onward  rush  to 
whirl  around  on  his  heel,  and  yell  at  a  taller  boy 
who  was,  struggling  to  get  his  books  strapped 
together. 

"Ah,  hold  on  a  minute!  Brown's  aint  a-goin' 
ter  get  away,  and  I  can't  get  this  strap  fastened. 
There!"  and  with  a  final  tug  at  the  books, 
"That  's  the  last  of  you  for  one  while,  I  bet  a 
cent ! ' '  and  the  books  were  tossed  over  his  shoul- 
der, where  they  hung  dangling  by  the  strap  as 
their  owner  tore  across  the  school  green  and 
joined  his  friend  just  as  he  stopped  to  read  a 
notice  which  had  been  fastened  to  a  tree  in  front 
of  Brown's  store  while  he  and  Whirligig  were 
confined  within  the  school  house. 

"What  is  it?"  demanded  Whirligig,  peering 
over  his  friend's  shoulder. 

"Dog  lost.  Must  a  been  a  dandy  if  they  '11 
pay  all  that  for  him.  Gee!  Twenty-five  dollar  's 
a  lot  of  money,  ain  't  it?     Don't  you  wish  ivc 

72 


WHIZZER,    WHIRLIGIG    AND    BUSTER 

could  find  him?  We  'd  go  snacks,  would  n't 
we,  and,  say,  maybe  we  would  n't  have  a  show 
to-morrow ! ' ' 

"Was  he  lost  here?    Whose  dog  is  it?" 

"No;  way  down  in  York  State!  What  do 
they  think  he  'd  be  doin '  up  in  Connecticut,  do 
you  'spose?" 

"Come  up  in  a  parlor  car,  maybe,  if  he  's  such 
a  big  gun.  They  did  n  't  give  him  a  very  hand- 
some name,  though,  did  they?  'Buster!'  That 
ain't  no  great  shakes  of  a  name  is  it?"  said 
Whirligig,  spinning  around  upon  his  heel  as  was 
his  habit  when  excited,  and  which  habit  had  won 
for  him  his  odd  nickname. 

The  boys  then  made  their  way  into  Mr. 
Brown's  store  and  were  presently  so  absorbed 
in  examining  his  display  of  fire  works,  forming 
conjectures  as  to  their  cost  and  possibilities, 
and  how  far  their  small  savings  would  go  to- 
ward purchasing  a  supply  for  the  morrow,  that 
the  dog  advertised  dropped  entirely  from  their 
thoughts,    although    under    ordinary    circum- 

73 


WHIZZER,    WHIRLIGIG    AND    BUSTER 

stances  it  would  have  remained  a  topic  of  con- 
versation for  some  time.  Their  joint  savings 
amounted  to  exactly  sixty-five  cents,  and  when 
this  sum  had  been  judiciously  invested,  and  the 
parcel  wrapped  up  they  were  ready  to  depart. 

"Look-a-here,  you  boys  have  been  pretty  good 
customers,  and  I  guess  I  kin  stand  treat.  Fourth 
of  July  and  vacation  don't  come  every  day. 
What  do  you  say  to  some  crackers  and  cheese 
byway  of  a  blow  out?"  asked  Mr.  Brown. 

"Guess  we  aint  sayin'  nothin'  sassy,"  an- 
swered Whirligig  with  a  genial  grin. 

"Need  'n  ter  let  it  go  ter  waste  fer  want  of 
somebody  ter  eat  it,  I  guess,"  was  Whizzer's 
comment. 

"Well,  here;  take  this  and  go  long,  an'  let  me 
wait  on  someone  else,"  and  he  thrust  into  the 
boy's  hands  a  paper  bag  containing  some  crack- 
ers and  a  generous  piece  of  cheese.  Whizzer 
grabbed  it  and  shot  through  the  door.  Whirli- 
gig spun  around  on  his  lively  heel  to  bring  his 
face  toward  their  benefactor,  and  cried: 

74 


WHIZZER,    WHIRLIGIG    AND    BUSTER 

"Thank  you  ever  so  much!  That  's  just 
hunky ! ' ' 

"Do  you  'spose  we  can  get  'em  ter  do  it?" 
asked  Whizzer  with  his  mouth  full  of  crackers 
and  cheese. 

"We  '11  just  make  'em.  It  's  just  as  easy  as 
anything.  Dick  was  a-showin'  me  last  night, 
and  he  told  me  the  orders  too.  It  's  just  like 
this.  Stand  up  in  front  of  me  an'  do  just  as  I 
do,  and  you  '11  learn  in  no  time.  Then  I  '11  make 
you  my  Lieutenant,  and  we  '11  make  a  dandy 
show, ' '  and  laying  down  the  hunk  of  cheese  and 
crackers  he  was  holding,  Whirligig  spun  around 
and  assumed  a  soldierly  attitude. 

The  boys  had  made  their  way  to  a  little  dell, 
just  out  of  the  village,  and  seating  themselves 
upon  an  old  log  which  lay  beside  the  mill  dam, 
had  regaled  themselves  upon  Mr.  Brown's  treat. 
Very  little  of  it  remained,  and  this  was  carefully 
placed  upon  the  log  for  future  consideration,  but 
just  now  Whirligig  was  keenly  alive  to  the  latest 
plan  for  the  morrow,  and  this  was  a  parade  of 

75 


WHIZZER,    WHIRLIGIG    AND    BUSTER 

the  boys  to  follow  the  village  company  to  the 
lake  about  a  mile  beyond  the  village,  where  pa- 
triotic speeches,  a  spread  and  later  fire-works, 
were  to  celebrate  the  day  and  evening.  Whirli- 
gig's big  brother  was  Captain  of  the  company, 
and  had  stirred  Whirligig's  enthusiasm  to  fever 
heat. 

"Attention!  Present  arms!  Attention!  Eight 
face !  Forward,  March ! "  he  cried,  using  a  piece 
of  stick  for  a  sword,  and  imitated  closely  by 
Whizzer.  Thej  had  been  hard  at  it  for  ten 
minutes  or  more,  and  so  absorbed  that  they  had 
failed  to  notice  a  forlorn  dog  which  had  slunk 
in  behind  the  bushes  and  was  snuffing  eagerly  at 
the  parcel  upon  the  log,  and  eying  them  closely 
meanwhile. 

He  was  a  wretched  enough  looking  creature, 
for  his  feet  were  sore  from  tramping,  his  hair  in 
a  dirty  mat,  and  a  gnawed  and  draggled  piece 
of  rope  tied  about  his  neck  testified  to  the  man- 
ner of  his  escape.  Lying  almost  flat  upon  his 
stomach  he  crawled   closer  and  closer  to  the 

76 


WHIZZER,    WHIRLIGIG    AND    BUSTER 

paper  bag,  and  was  on  the  point  of  seizing  it 
when  Whirligig  issued  a  somewhat  more  per- 
emptory order  than  had  yet  been  given.  Whiz- 
zer  braced  himself  to  obey,  when  chancing  to 
turn  his  eyes  a  little  to  the  left,  he  nearly  fell  flat 
with  amazement,  for  just  a  little  behind  Whirli- 
gig stood  a  huge  dog  straight  upon  his  hind  legs, 
his  front  paws  wildly  fanning  the  air,  but 
marching  like  a  soldier,  and  as  the  unconscious 
Captain  issued  his  orders,  the  dog  changed  his 
tactics  to  respond  to  them,  going  through  with 
perfect  precision,  the  evolutions  which  poor 
Whizzer  was  striving  so  hard  to  learn. 

'Oh,  Jerusalem  Christmas!  Look  a-there! 
Look  A-THERE!"  he  yelled,  dropping  his 
sword,  and  staring  with  open  mouth. 

"Where?  What?"  demanded  Whirligig,  his 
educated  heel  standing  him  in  good  stead  as  he 
whirled  about.  The  dog  had  come  down  upon 
all  fours,  and  stood  regarding  the  boys  with  a 
half  frightened,  half  beseeching  expression. 

"He  was  a-doin'  the  very   things  you   were 

77 


WHIZZER,    WHIRLIGIG    AND    BUSTER 

tellin'  me  to  do.  He  was  right  up  on  his  hind 
feet,  walking  for  all  he  was  worth,"  almost 
yelled  Whizzer. 

Whirligig  looked  incredulous,  but  put  out  his 
hand  to  the  dog  and  said:  "Come  here.  Come 
here.  Good  dog.  Good  dog,"  and  was  promptly 
responded  to  by  the  sagacious  beast,  which 
raised  the  dejected  tail  and  wagging  it  gracious- 
ly, laid  his  head  in  the  boy's  outstretched  hands 
and  looked  at  him  appealingly.  Then  glancing 
toward  the  log,  he  gave  a  low  bark. 

"He  's  hungry!  He  's  begging  for  something 
to  eat ! ' '  cried  Whizzer.  '  *  That  's  the  reason  he 
was  doing  those  things,  I  bet  a  dollar, ' '  and  he 
caught  up  the  bag.  The  dog  gave  every  evi- 
dence of  joy,  and  the  boys  began  feeding  him  the 
cheese  and  crackers  which  he  devoured  raven- 
ously. 

' '  See  if  he  will  march  again  for  something  to 
eat,"  exclaimed  Whizzer,  and  a  moment  later 
the  dog  was  performing  the  "drill"  like  an  old 
soldier,  for  each  evolution  receiving  a  reward 

78 


WHIZZER,    WHIRLIGIG    AND    BUSTER 

from  the  paper  bag.  No  thought  of  connecting 
the  appearance  of  this  remarkable  dog  with  the 
advertisement  upon  the  village  tree  ever  entered 
their  heads. 

After  they  had  fully  tested  his  remarkable 
prowess,  they  rushed  toward  the  village  leading 
him  with  them,  and  before  nightfall  their  com- 
pany was  formed,  with  "Jack,"  as  they  had 
named  the  dog,  for  its  chief  officer.  Then  arose 
the  question  of  ownership,  which  was  amicably 
settled  by  a  partnership,  the  boys  agreeing  that 
Whizzer  should  keep  him  one  week  and  Whirli- 
gig the  next,  parents,  guardians,  etc.,  permit- 
ting, and  Whizzer  led  him  home  in  triumph. 

Drums  were  beating,  the  band  playing,  flags 
waving,  fire-crackers  banging  and  a  general 
hoorah  prevailing  in  Greenwold.  Everybody 
who  had  "a  team,"  was  out  upon  the  highway, 
and  everybody  who  had  n't  one  was  riding 
' '  Shank 's  mare, ' '  and  sending  her  along  toward 
the  little  park  in  the  outskirts  of  the  town  as 
fast  as  she  would  carry  them. 

79 


WHIZZER,    WHIRLIGIG    AND    BUSTER 

The  last  small  boy  the  town  produced  was 
trudging  along  at  the  tail  end  of  the  procession, 
for  at  that  end  was  the  most  important  actor  in 
the  entire  turnout.  Military  parades,  brass 
bands,  and  flags  were  every-day  affairs,  but  a 
big  St.  Bernard  dog  that  could  march  as  well  as 
a  soldier,  and  who  knew  the  commands  given, 
was  a  novelty  not  to  be  lightly  regarded.  Whiz- 
zer  had  done  his  best  for  his  new  found  pet,  and 
with  Whirligig's  assistance  had  scrubbed  and 
scoured  the  dog  until  he  bore  but  little  resem- 
blance to  the  forlorn  creature  which  had  begged 
for  food  the  previous  day. 

A  clean  coat  and  a  well  filled  stomach  had 
heartened  him  up  wonderfully,  and  now  he  was 
marching  along  surrounded  by  an  admiring 
throng  of  children,  waving  his  plumy  tail,  from 
which  every  vestige  of  a  burr  had  been  removed, 
and  beaming  upon  his  friends  with  love  and 
gratitude  in  the  beautiful  eyes.  Now  and  again 
a  halt  would  be  called,  and  Jack  put  through  his 
drill  for  the  benefit  of  all  admirers.    He  never 


WHIZZER,    WHIRLIGIG    AND    BUSTER 

failed  to  respond,  and  seemed  delighted  with 
the  praise  showered  upon  him. 

The  procession  had  reached  the  park,  and 
"speechifying"  had  begun  when  an  automobile 
came  rapidly  into  the  village  from  the  opposite 
direction.  In  it  were  seated  a  gentleman,  a  lady 
and  a  little  girl,  who  looked  eagerly  all  about  her 
and  talked  incessantly.  The  vehicle  drew  up  in 
front  of  the  Constable's  office  and  the  gentleman 
hurried  in.  A  few  moments  later  he  reappeared 
followed  by  that  officer,  who  took  his  place  upon 
the  rear  seat,  and  a  second  later  was  whirling 
down  the  road  in  the  direction  taken  by  the 
parade. 

The  speeches  were  ended,  and  the  event  of 
the  day  was  about  to  take  place.  This  was  the 
firing  of  the  big  cannon  which  had  not  been  fired 
since  the  civil  war.  Many  were  very  skeptical 
regarding  it,  and  contended  that  it  was  a  dan- 
gerous undertaking,  but  they  were  over-ruled 
by  the  more  enthusiastic,  and  the  old  gun  was 
charged  with  powder;  " enough  to  have  blown  it 

81 


WHIZZER,    WHIRLIGIG    AND    BUSTER 

to  fragments  when  it  was  at  its  best,"  so  said 
the  wiseacres. 

Just  as  the  match  was  about  to  be  applied  an 
exciting  scene  was  enacted  not  far  from  the 
cannon,  for  a  coarse  looking  man  pushed  his 
way  through  the  crowd  to  where  Whizzer  and 
Whirligig  were  standing,  the  latter  holding- 
Jack's  leader,  lest  he  grow  excited  and  take 
French  leave.  Pushing  the  children  roughly 
aside,  the  man  laid  hold  of  the  dog's  chain, 
jerked  it  savagely  from  the  boy's  hands  and 
started  to  drag  the  dog  away.  But  he  was  in- 
stantly surrounded  by  a  protesting  throng  of 
children,  and  fierce  growls  from  the  dog  plainly 
told  his  resentment  of  such  treatment. 

Just  as  the  recrimination  was  at  its  fiercest 
the  match  was  applied  to  the  cannon,  and  a 
second  later,  destruction  was  sown  broadcast, 
for  the  old  gun  had  long  since  been  hors  de  com- 
bat, and  with  one  wild  boom  gave  up  the  fight 
forever.  Many  were  thrown  flat,  several  were 
badly  injured,  and  one  man  was  seen  to  whirl 

82 


WHIZZER,    WHIRLIGIG    AND    BUSTER 

bodily  into  the  pond  at  which  the  cannon 
pointed. 

When  people  managed  to  collect  their  senses 
the  man  was  struggling  in  the  waler,  but 
evidently  helpless.  A  general  rush  was  made 
for  the  shore,  and  someone  ran  to  unfasten  a 
boat  which  was  moored  a  little  way  off.  But 
the  man  must  have  perished  before  it  could 
reach  him,  but  for  a  splendid  dog  which  rushed 
to  his  rescue.  Plunging  into  the  water  he 
caught  the  man  by  his  coat  collar  and  began  to 
swim  toward  shore  with  him,  the  crowd  cheer- 
ing and  yelling  like  mad,  and  two  small  boys 
dancing  and  whirling  about  like  wild  Indians. 
Never  had  Whirligig's  heel  been  called  upon  to 
meet  such  demands.  Willing  hands  rushed  to 
the  noble  dog's  assistance,  and  Whizzer  and 
Whirligig  fell  upon  him  bodily,  regardless  of 
the  shower-bath  with  which  they  were  greeted. 

Just  at  this  moment  an  automobile  came 
whirling  into  the  park,  and  the  next  second  a 
beautiful  little  child  was  hugging  and  crying 

6— Blue  Grass  Beauty.  g-j 


WHIZZER,    WHIRLIGIG    AND    BUSTER 

over  the  dripping  dog,  calling  him  her  "dear, 
dear  Buster, ' '  while  he  in  turn  acted  like  a  crazy 
thing,  licking  her  hands,  and  whining  with  joy. 

"He  's  the  twenty-five  dollar  dog!  He  's  the 
twenty-five  dollar  dog!"  shouted  Whizzer.  "She 
calls  him  'Buster, '  and  that  was  the  name  on  the 
notice!    We  found  him!     We  found  him!" 

"I  'd  rather  have  him  than  the  money,  even 
if  they  '11  give  it  to  us,"  said  Whirligig  in  a 
doleful  tone.  "He  aint  no  slouch  of  a  dog,  let 
me  tell  you.     I  'd  rather  have  the  dog. ' ' 

"I  '11  take  charge  of  this  man,"  said  the  Con- 
stable, laying  his  hand  upon  the  arm  of  the  man 
whom  the  dog  had  rescued,  and  who  was  now 
sufficiently  recovered  to  sit  up  and  see  what  was 
taking  place.  "You  got  a  good  bit  more  than 
you  deserved  when  that  dog  saved  you  from 
drowning,  my  man.  The  world  can  spare  such 
as  you." 

Meantime  Mr.  Howard  had  been  making  in- 
quiries upon  his  own  account,  and  going  up  to 
the  two  boys  he  said: 


WHIZZER,    WHIRLIGIG    AND    BUSTER 

"So  these  are  the  boys  who  rescued  and  be- 
friended Buster?  Come  along  with  Flossy  and 
me.  We  think  that  we  can  do  something  for  the 
boys  who  did  so  much  for  our  dog.  A  ride  in 
the  automobile  won't  be  a  bad  beginning.  Ever 
had  a  ride  in  one?" 

Before  the  boys  well  knew  what  had  hap- 
pened they  were  whirling  over  the  ground  with 
Buster  capering  along  beside  them,  a  lady  smil- 
ing upon  them  from  the  front  seat,  a  bonny  lit- 
tle girl  telling  them  all  about  her  dear  Bus- 
ter and  how  he  had  been  stolen,  and  a  gentleman 
nodding  approval  of  all  the  little  maid  said. 

That  evening,  long  after  the  automobile  had 
spun  away  out  of  the  town,  two  very  happy  boys 
settled  themselves  down  to  talk  over  the  excit- 
ing events  of  the  day. 

"He  gave  me  a  whole  dollar  just  for  fire- 
works, ' '  said  Whizzer. 

* '  Yes,  and  me  too, ' '  cried  Whirligig.  ' '  And  he 
told  Pa  that  he  had  left  a  cheque  with  the  con- 
stable for  each  of  us,  'cause  we  both  found  the 

85 


WHIZZER,    WHIRLIGIG    AND    BUSTER 

dog.  And  nobody  is  to  touch  it,  and  it  has  got 
to  stay  in  the  bank  till  we  're  big,  and  then  it  '11 
be  a  lot  more,  cause  Pa  said  that  it  would  draw 
interest,  and  when  we  were  men  we  would  have 
some  money  to  begin  business  with.  My,  think 
of  that!  Ain't  we  rich!  We  've  both  got  a 
quarter  of  a  hundred  dollars ! ' ' 


86 


TINY  TIM'S  EASTER  GIFT 


TINY  TIM'S  EASTEE  GIFT 


U 


N 


OW  where  has  that  blockhead  gone 
to,  I  'd  like  to  know!  Seems  to 
me  he  need  n  't  take  half  a  day  to 
deliver  a  bundle  of  kindling,  seven  pounds  of 
sugar  and  a  box  of  baking  powder,"  and  the 
proprietor  of  the  big  grocery  store  on  Fenton 
Street  popped  his  head  out  of  his  store  door  to 
look  for  the  tardy  clerk  whom  he  had  sent  to 
deliver  some  goods  more  than  an  hour  before. 
As  he  opened  the  door  he  saw  a  wee  bit  of  a  lad- 
die standing  in  front  of  a  great  tray  of  eggs 
labeled : 

"Strictly  fresh  eggs,  just  from  Long  Island. 
Ten  for  a  quarter!" 

It  was  a  tiny  figure,  shabbily  clad,  and  thin 
almost  to  emaciation,  but  the  face  was  a  frank 
one  and  evidently  deeply  interested  in  the  pile 
of  eggs. 

89 


TINY    TIM'S    EASTER    GIFT 

"Seventeen,  eighteen,  nineteen,  te-wen-t-y," 
murmured  the  lips,  and  then  an  interruption 
came  from  the  store  door. 

"Hey,  sonny!  What  are  you  doing  to  them 
eggs  ? ' ' 

"I  ain't  doin'  nothin'  but  just  countin'  'em." 

"Countin'  'em?"  echoed  the  groceryman 
with  a  laugh.  "Expect  to  stand  there  till  to- 
morrow mornin'?" 

"Nop,  but  I  ain't  hurtin'  'em,  and  they  look 
so  nice  and  white. ' ' 

"Like  eggs?" 

"Bet  I  does,  but  I  can't  git  none  now;  cost  too 
much." 

"Can  you  do  an  errand?" 

"Guess  I  kin.    Whatcher  want?" 

"Here;  take  this  loaf  of  bread  and  scoot  along 

up  to Street,  and  then  come  back  and 

I  '11  give  you  two  of  the  finest  eggs  in  that 
pile." 

"Will  yer  fer  honest?"  asked  that  boy,  his 
face    growing     wonderfully     attractive     when 

90 


TINY    TIM'S    EASTER    GIFT 

lighted  up  by  a  smile,  for  the  eyes  were  as  blue 
as  the  March  skies  overhead,  and  the  cheeks 
would  have  had  a  suggestion  of  June's  roses 
had  Dear  Mother  Nature's  plans  not  been 
thwarted,  but  there  was  not  enough  of  the  rich, 
lifeblood  in  that  small  frame  to  spare  any  for 
decorative  purposes.  It  was  all  needed  to  keep 
body  and  soul  together. 

"Sure!  My  best  customer  is  waiting  for  that 
loaf  to  stuff  her  poultry  for  dinner,  and  that 
lunkhead  of  a  boy  of  mine  aint  shown  up  since 
noon." 

The  wee  laddie  took  the  big  loaf,  nearly  as 
tall  as  himself,  and  tucking  it  under  his  arm, 
scurried  across  the  street.  The  grocer  watched 
him  until  he  turned  the  corner,  and  then  mut- 
tering: 

' '  Guess  he  '11  go  all  right  enough, ' '  gave  a  lit- 
tle laugh  and  returned  to  his  store  to  attend  to 
his  other  customers,  for  it  was  Saturday  after- 
noon, and  a  busy  season  for  him.  In  less  time 
than  it  seemed  possible  the  little  messenger  re- 

91 


TINY    TIM'S    EASTER    GIFT 

turned,  and  slipping  into  the  store,  was  nearly- 
lost  sight  of  behind  a  big  flour  barrel.  The  pro- 
prietor had  meantime  forgotten  his  very  exist- 
ence. The  afternoon  slipped  along,  and  sunset 
drew  near.  Then  the  store  grew  dim  and  the 
electric  lights  were  turned  on  to  reveal  a  small 
boy  sitting  on  a  box  beside  a  flour  barrel. 

"Hello!"  cried  the  proprietor,  "When  did 
yon  come  back  ? ' ' 

' '  I  came  right  back. ' ' 

"What!  You  aint  been  sittin'  there  all  this 
time?" 

' '  Course  I  have.  Did  n  't  you  tell  me  ter  come 
back  fer  my  eggs?"  with  some  shade  of  re- 
proach in  his  voice. 

"Well,  why  did  n't  you  come  and  ask  fer 
'em?" 

"Cause  you  was  a  waitin'  on  folks." 

"And  you've  been  squattin'  down  side  that 
barrel  all  this  time  ?  Well  you  do  beat  my  time. 
What  's  yer  name?" 

"Timothy  Rollins." 

92 


TINY    TIM'S    EASTER    GIFT 

"Tiny  Tim?"  asked  the  grocer,  for  lie  had 
come  from  Old  England,  and  Dickens  was  an 
old  friend. 

1 '  'Aint  never  been  called  that.  Will  yer  give 
me  my  eggs  now  ? ' ' 

' '  Sure !  Come  on,  and  I  '11  give  you  more  'n 
I  said  I  would.  Soon  be  Easter,  and  eggs  will 
be  gettin'  cheaper.  Better  take  your  feast 
while  they  're  high  priced  and  you  're  gettin'  a 
luxury,"  and  the  man  laughed  as  he  led  the  way 
to  the  front  of  the  store.  "Now  pick  out  four 
of  the  finest  in  that  pile.  Maybe  if  they  had  n  't 
come  to  market  there  would  a-been  four  chicks 
come  out  of  'em  at  Easter.     Who  knows. ' ' 

The  boy  looked  at  him  in  a  puzzled  sort  of 
way,  and  the  man  asked: 

"What  you  lookin'  so  queer  about?" 

"Say,  what  was  that  you  said  then?  Chick- 
ens? Out  of  one  'er  them  eggs?  Ah,  a  chicken 
could  n't  git  in  one  o'  them  eggs." 

"Perhaps  they  could  n't  get  in,  but  they  can 
come  out  all  right.  Did  n't  ye  never  see  a  lit- 
tle chicken  ? ' ' 

93 


TINY    TIM'S    EASTER    GIFT 

"A  little  chicken  what  was  little  enough  ter 
git  into  a  egg  like  that?    Ah,  say—  " 

"Don't  believe  me,  do  you?  Aint  never  been 
in  the  country  have  you?  Well,  take  these  eggs 
home,  if  you  've  got  a  home.  Give  three  of  'em 
to  your  mother,  if  you  've  got  one;  have  you?" 

"Sure." 

"But  this  one  I  'm  goin'  to  write  your  name 
on,  and  you  roll  it  all  up  in  this  here  bit  o'  cot- 
ton,—see  it?— an'  you  just  keep  it  right  inside 
your  shirt  here.  Don't  take  it  out  night  or  day, 
an'  you  see  what  '11  happen  three  weeks  from 
to-morrow, ' '  and  the  man  placed  the  egg  inside 
the  forlorn  little  shirt. 

All  this  time  the  boy  had  been  regarding  him 
with  a  half  doubtful,  half  trusting  expression, 
with  a  wonderful  hope  creeping  into  his  eyes, 
and  when  the  egg  was  safely  bestowed  a  queer 
little  smile  crept  about  the  corners  of  his 
mouth. 

"Did  n't  expect  to  be  turned  into  an  incuba- 
tor, did  you  sonny?     Well,  do  n't  smash  your 

94 


TINY    TIM'S    EASTER    GIFT 

egg,  and  there  's  no  knowing  what  will  hap- 
pen. ' ' 

How  little  grown  people  are  given  to  weigh- 
ing the  words  they  speak  to  little  people,  and 
yet  what  tremendous  weight,  for  good  or  ill,  for 
joy  or  sorrow  those  words  often  carry. 

Poor  little  Timothy  Eollins,  poverty-stricken, 
half  starved,  wholly  neglected,  had  then  and 
there  learned  something  that  seemed  a.  wild 
dream  to  him,  nor  could  he  have  been  said  to 
have  learned  it  either.  As  yet  it  was  only  a 
dim  suspicion,  for  he  did  not  know  whether  to 
believe  what  had  been  told  him  or  not.  But 
that  egg  was  cherished. 

The  others  were  eaten  with  a  keen  relish,  as 
would  number  four  have  been  had  its  existence 
been  suspected  by  the  coarse,  half-intoxicated 
woman  whom  this  poor  little  soul  called  by  that 
beautiful  name— Mother. 

Birds  were  singing,  and  bells  were  ringing 
upon  Easter  morning,  telling  to  the  world  the 
glorious  story  of  the  Eesurrection.     Up  in  a 

95 


TINY    TIM'S    EASTER    GIFT 

wretched  little  room,  barely  more  than  a  closet, 
but  saved  from  utter  dreariness  by  the  warm 
Easter  sunshine  which  flooded  through  one 
small  window  in  the  ceiling,  sat  Timothy  Rol- 
lins, his  little  pinched  face  lighted  up  with  a 
joy  beyond  words  to  express.  He  held  in  his 
claw-like  little  hands  the  wad  of  cotton  given 
him  by  the  grocer  three  weeks  before  and  nest- 
ling in  the  center  of  it,  with  a  bit  of  its  shell  still 
sticking  to  its  feathers,  was  the  weest  of  wee 
yellow  chicks,  looking  up  at  Timothy  with  its 
tiny  bead-like  eyes  and  uttering  the  softest  of 
peeps. 

"An'  he  said  you  lived  in  that  egg  an'  I 
did  n't  b'live  him.  I  did  n't,  no,  not  fer  a  cent. 
But  it  was  de  trute,  so  it  was.  Ain't  you  gist 
little!     My,  but  what  must  yer  eat!" 

Here  was  a  problem  to  confront.  It  was  too 
much  for  Timothy,  and  wrapping  his  treasure 
carefully  in  the  cotton,  he  put  it  into  his  hat, 
crept  softly  down  the  stairs,  out  into  the  glor- 
ious light  of  Easter  day,  carrying  in  his  grimy 

96 


TINY    TIM'S    EASTER    GIFT 

little  hands  the  beautiful  symbol  of  Easter,  but 
without  even  knowing  that  he  was  doing  so. 
Straight  to  his  friend,  the  grocer,  he  hurried, 
rushed  into  the  store  just  as  the  clerks  were 
hurrying  out  their  early  Sunday-morning  or- 
ders, left  over  from  the  night  before,  and  run- 
ning up  to  the  man  cried : 

"Look  at  me  little  hen!  Look  at  me  little 
hen  what  yer  give  me  in  de  egg.  It  's  gist  come 
out,  an'  aint  it  a  dandy?" 


97 


LADDIE  AND  LASSIE 


7— Blue  Grass  Beauty. 


A 


LADDIE  AND  LASSIE 

LC  /\.  ^^  ^ay  norse  with  the  softest  of 
white  noses,  thin,  sensitive  nos- 
trils, whose  quivering  testified  to 
the  delicate  nervous  organization  controlling 
them,  or  drew  in  long  breaths  of  the  clear  spring 
air  to  exhale  it  in  a  contented  sigh  as  though 
"thanking"  the  Lord  for  a  life  so  sweet." 

Eyes  that  looked  at  you  so  squarely  and  hon- 
estly that  you  began  to  wonder  if  your  con- 
science was  as  clear  as  their  limpid  depths ;  and 
such  dainty  pointed  ears  that  you  marvelled  at 
their  small  size  but  wondrous  ability  to  catch 
the  faintest  sound.  There  was  nothing  small 
about  Laddie,  in  body  or  nature,  excepting  his 
ears  and  hoofs. 

IOI 


LADDIE     AND     LASSIE 

We  had  bought  him  for  a  carriage  horse,  and 
the  person  from  whom  we  got  him  assured  me 
that  he  would  prove  "a  first-class  family 
horse,  sound  as  a  dollar,  and  the  best  disposi- 
tion ever  known."  Still,  we  had  heard  similar 
assurances  before,  and  experience  had  taught 
us  that  horse  flesh  needed  salting. 

Laddie  was  driven  into  our  grounds  one  beau- 
tiful spring  morning  for  my  final  decision  re- 
garding the  purchase,  and  as  he  came  prancing 
and  curveting  up  the  driveway  I  instantly  fell 
in  love  with  him. 

Lassie  (our  pet  name  for  our  four-year-old 
daughter)  and  I  were  on  the  piazza,  and  hast- 
ened down  to  welcome  the  new  arrival  as  the 
man  who  had  him  in  charge  drove  up  to  the 
carriage  block  and,  stepping  from  the  surrey, 
stood  beside  it. 

Lassie  ran  ahead  of  me,  and,  planting  herself 
squarely  in  front  of  the  big  animal,  stood  with 
her  sturdy  legs  far  apart,  her  arms  clasped  be- 
hind her,  and  her  head  cocked  knowingly  upon 


LADDIE    AND     LASSIE 

one  side,  critically  surveying  him  as  he  towered 
above  her  in  all  the  grandeur  of  his  fifteen 
hands  two*  inches.  How  like  satin  his  beautiful 
blood-bay  coat  shone  in  the  sunshine,  and  how 
hard  he  tried  to  reach  down  to  the  little  child 
standing  so  near  him!  But  fashion,  that  inex- 
orable dame,  had  put  a  tight  check  upon  him 
and  blinders  at  his  eyes,  and  although  he 
turned  his  head  from  side  to  side  and  jerked  it 
up  and  down  in  his  endeavors  to  reach  her,  it 
was  only  when  the  beautiful  arched  neck  was 
turned  far  to  one  side  that  the  head  was  brought 
any  nearer  the  object  he  strove  to  reach. 

Between  big  horse  and  little  maid  there  was 
instantly  established  a  mental  telegraphy,  and 
then  happened  something  which  instantly  set- 
tled Laddie's  fate. 

"That  horzvid  old  check-rein!  You  can't 
weach  me,  can  you  ?  But  I'll  come  where  /  can 
weach  you,"  cried  the  child,  and  ere  a  word  of 
remonstrance  could  be  uttered  she  had  run  to- 
ward the  horse  and  clasped  both  little  arms 

103 


LADDIE     AND     LASSIE 

tightly  about  one  slender  front  leg,  and  stood 
pressing  her  face  close  to  it. 

We  stood  breathless  with  astonishment,  fear- 
ing to  move  or  speak  lest  the  great  foot  be 
stamped  upon  the  tiny  ones  so  close  to  it.  But 
Laddie  stood  like  a  statue,  and  not  a  quiver 
stirred  his  massive  frame. 

"Step  back,  darling,"  I  said  quietly  to  my 
little  girl,  "and  I  will  undo  his  check  so  that 
you  can  stroke  his  face"— for  any  doubts  I  had 
entertained  of  Laddie  had  been  dispelled  for- 
ever. Utterly  unconscious  that  she  had  been 
in  a  frightfully  perilous  situation,  the  child 
stepped  back,  and  the  man  and  I  drew  a  breath 
of  relief. 

A  second  later,  I  had  unhooked  that  invention 
of  the  evil  one— the  check-rein.  First  the 
great  neck  was  stretched  out  as  one  would 
stretch  one's  arms  after  having  kept  them  for 
hours  in  a  strained,  unnatural  position,  and 
then  the  handsome  head  came  down  to  the  little 
arms  waiting  to  "cuddle"  it,  and  four-year-old 

104 


LADDIE     AND     LASSIE 

Laddie  and  four-year-old  Lassie  stood  ' '  making 
love"  to  each  other.  On  one  side  perfect  trust 
and  confidence;  on  the  other  utter  fearlessness 
and  love. 

After  a  thorough  inspection,  I  said  to  the 
man: 

"I  am  satisfied  with  all  but  the  headstall,  and 
I  wish  the  blinders  and  check  removed. ' ' 

"Oh,  but  ye  could  n't  dhrive  him  widout 
thim,  ma'am!  He  was  broke  to  'em,  and  it 
would  frighten  the  life  out  uv  him  to  go  widout 
thim.     It  'd  not  be  safe  at  all." 

Patrick  was  a  true  child  of  Erin,  and,  having 
long  been  in  the  employ  of  a  man  who  broke 
and  trained  all  his  colts  with  blinders  and  a 
high  check,  was  convinced  that  Mr.  Black's  way 
was  the  only  way. 

"Let  us  try  him  without  them,  anyway,  and 
if  he  misbehaves  I  shall  have  only  myself  to 
blame,"  I  answered. 

Side  straps  were  soon  brought  from  our  stable 
and  substituted  for  those  then  in  the  headstall, 

ios 


LADDIE     AND     LASSIE 

and  the  check  entirely  discarded.  I  shall  never 
forget  how  much  handsomer  Laddie  looked,  for 
his  neck  had  a  beautiful  natural  arch,  and  his 
great  intelligent  eyes,  set  so  widely  apart, 
seemed  to  see  before,  behind,  and  on  all  sides  of 
him,  as  dear  Mother  Nature  intended  they 
should. 

"Wait  on  the  lawn  for  me,  darling,  until  I 
have  tried  Laddie,  and  if  he  is  a  good  horse  you 
shall  go  for  a  drive,"  I  said,  as  I  took  my  seat 
in  the  surrey,  and  the  man  seated  himself  beside 
me,  doubtless  with  the  double  object  of  learn- 
ing what  sort  of  "whip"  I  should  prove  and 
how  Laddie  would  deport  himself  under  the  new 
order  of  things. 

Lassie  skipped  off  to  her  nurse,  who  was 
waiting  for  her,  and  I  gathered  up  the  reins  and 
prepared  to  start.  The  horse  turned  his  head 
around  to  take  a  good  look  at  me,  and  as  I  said 
kindly,  "It  's  all  right,  old  fellow,  come  along," 
he  gave  it  a  toss  and  set  off  at  a  brisk  pace. 

I  had  driven  many  horses  before,  and  have 

106 


LADDIE     AND     LASSIE 

driven  many  since,  but  never  hope  to  find  Lad- 
die's equal.  An  infant's  hand  could  guide  him, 
and  while  full  of  life  and  action  he  was  gentle 
as  a  kitten.  We  went  all  about  the  town,  and 
although  we  met  many  queer-looking  objects, 
such  as  trolley  cars,  railway  trains,  etc.,  all  well 
calculated  to  arouse  doubts  in  any  young  horse, 
and  even  though  Patrick  still  mentally  ques- 
tioned my  wisdom  in  dispensing  with  the  check 
and  blinders,  Laddie  behaved  like  an  "old 
stager,"  and  came  back  to  our  home  the  very 
model  of  good  behavior.  This  was  the  begin- 
ning of  our  fondness  for  him,  which  has  stead- 
ily increased  with  each  year,  although  eight 
have  elapsed  since  that  day. 

Never  again  di'd  he  wear  either  blinders  or  a 
check-rein,  and  ere  long  a  time  came  which 
caused  us  to  be  profoundly  thankful  that  we 
drove  him  without  them.  Many  a  long,  delight- 
ful drive  did  we  take  behind  him,  and  very  soon 
Lassie  could  drive  him  as  easily  as  I  could. 

He  knew  the  instant  her  small  hands  took  the 

107 


LADDIE     AND     LASSIE 

reins,  and  the  change  which  at  once  manifested 
itself  in  gait  and  expression  seemed  to  say  as 
plainly  as  words  could  have  done: 

"  Little  missie  is  driving  me  now,  and  it  be- 
hooves such  a  great  strong  creature  as  I  am  to 
show  all  that  is  best  and  gentlest  in  me,  because 
she  is  ruling  by  love  alone." 

As  the  years  slipped  b}T,  Laddie  became  almost 
human  in  his  fondness  for  us,  and  his  natural  in- 
telligence developed  beyond  belief.  He  seemed 
to  understand  every  word  we  said  to  him,  and 
would  follow  us  like  a  dog. 

When  Lassie  was  nine  years  old  she  drove  him 
anywhere,  and  frequently  went  long  errands 
over  the  mountain  road  to  bring  us  eggs  and 
cream  cheese  we  always  bought  from  a  farm 
about  three  miles  from  our  home. 

One  afternoon  she  started  about  three  o'clock, 
and  had  not  been  absent  half  an  hour  when  omin- 
ous " thunder  heads"  predicted  a  coming  storm, 
which  in  a  little  while  was  raging  furiously. 

Confident  that  Lassie  would  remain  at  the 

108 


LADDIE     AND     LASSIE 

farm  until  the  storm  passed  over,  we  felt  little 
concern  for  her;  but  when  the  weather,  instead 
of  clearing,  settled  down  to  a  dismal  rain,  we  be- 
gan to  feel  uneasy,  even  though  we  realized  that 
she  was  an  exceptionally  "level-headed"  little 
body  who  would  take  no  chances. 

Six  o  'clock  came,  and  then  seven,  but  that  mis- 
erable down-pour  continued.  It  was  late  in  the 
summer,  and  the  evenings  were  growing  short, 
so  that  scarcely  any  daylight  remained  after 
seven  o'clock;  and  when  no  Laddie  or  Lassie  ap- 
peared by  that  hour,  we  began  to  feel  consider- 
able alarm,  and  sent  Edward,  our  man,  in  quest 
of  them.  We  had  no  other  horse,  so  he  was 
obliged  to  walk.  He  had  gone  nearly  two  miles, 
and  was  just  beginning  to  climb  up  the  steep 
mountain  road  where  the  thick  foliage  made  it 
as  dark  as  midnight,  when  he  heard  in  the  dis- 
tance the  slow,  cautious  tread  of  a  horse,  taking 
a  few  steps  at  a  time;  then  halting;  then  taking  a 
few  more  steps. 

A  sharp  bend  in  the  road  winding  zig-zag 

109 


LADDIE    AND     LASSIE 

down  the  mountain  would  have  hidden  the  ap- 
proaching vehicle  had  not  the  darkness  effec- 
tually done  so,  and  the  man  had  ample  time  to 
marvel  at  such  a  remarkable  manner  of  pro- 
cedure. Hardly  conscious  why  he  did  so,  he 
called  out: 

"Who  's  coming  there!"  and  was  instantly 
answered  by  a  shrill  neigh  and  a  joyful  cry. 
Springing  forward,  he  soon  came  upon  Laddie 
and  Lassie,  and  in  the  light  of  his  lantern  beheld 
a  sight  which  nearly  took  his  breath  away. 

Creeping  cautiously  down  the  steep  dark  road, 
with  his  nose  so  close  to  the  ground  as  literally 
to  smell  his  way,  and  with  his  big  eyes  wide  ojDen 
to  see  all  that  could  be  seen  in  the  gloaming,  with 
his  left  breeching  strap  dangling  about  his  hind 
legs,  and  the  carriage  bumping  against  his 
haunches  every  step  he  took,  came  Laddie. 

Kneeling  in  the  bottom  of  the  phaeton,  with 
her  arms  stretched  out  over  the  dash-board,  was 
Lassie,  holding  the  reins  and  talking  to  the  in- 
telligent creature,  who  literally  held  her  life  in 
his  keeping. 

HO 


LADDIE     AND     LASSIE 

It  took  Edward  but  a  second  to  spring  to  their 
rescue,  and,  as  he  afterward  expressed  it: 
"Faith,  there  was  no  telling  which  was  gladdest 
to  meet  me— the  big  horse  or  the  little  girl." 

When  they  were  safe  at  home  Lassie  told  us 
her  story. 

She  had  reached  Farmer  Hannam's  just  as  it 
began  to  rain,  but  found  the  house  closed  and 
every  soul  absent.  She  drove  under  the  shed  to 
wait  for  the  storm  to  pass,  but  when  the  rain  still 
continued  to  fall  and  night  drew  near,  the  child 
hardly  knew  what  to  do,  and  instinctively  sought 
home. 

All  went  well  till  she  reached  the  wood  road 
leading  down  the  mountain,  when,  without  a  sec- 
ond's warning,  the  hook  which  held  the  breech- 
ing strap  to  the  shaft  pulled  out  and  the  strap 
dropped.  The  carriage  plunged  forward  as  far 
as  the  tug  strap  would  let  it,  and  these,  soon  slip- 
ping backward,  let  the  whiffle-tree  come  squarely 
upon  Laddie's  haunches.  After  one  frightened 
plunge  he  seemed  to  realize  what  had  happened, 


LADDIE     AND     LASSIE 

and  proved  what  it  meant  for  a  horse  to  be  able 
to  see  both  behind  and  before  him. 

After  looking  behind  him  for  a  moment,  as 
though  studying  the  situation  and  deciding  upon 
the  next  move,  he  started  slowly  down  the  hill, 
taking  a  few  steps  and  stopping,  a  few  more  and 
another  pause,  as  though  to  assure  the  fright- 
ened child  that  she  need  fear  nothing  so  long  as 
she  trusted  to  him.  He  had  traveled  more  than 
half  the  journey  with  the  phaeton  bumping  along 
behind  him  at  every  step  before  Edward  met 
him,  and  he  doubtless  would  have  brought  his 
charge  safely  home. 

We  asked  Lassie  why  she  had  not  gotten  out 
to  try  to  fix  the  breeching,  for  she  knew  how  as 
well  as  we  did,  but  she  said  that  it  was  so  dark, 
rainy,  and  slippery  on  the  mountain  road  that 
she  had  lacked  courage  to  do  so,  and  had  felt 
more  faith  in  Laddie's  ability  to  care  for  her 
than  in  her  own. 

And  now  I  ask  my  readers  if  this  is  not  a  fair 

113 


LADDIE    AND     LASSIE 

argument  in  favor  of  abolishing  the  use  of  a 
check-rein  and  blinders? 

Had  the  horse  been  unable  to  see  the  cause  of 
the  trouble  behind  him,  and  had  he  not  been  free 
to  turn  his  head  as  he  chose  and  put  it  as  close 
to  the  ground  as  he  wished,  who  can  guess  what 
ignorance  and  terror  might  have  caused  even  so 
faithful  a  creature  to  do?  But  the  head  was 
free  to  turn  and  reach  in  any  direction,  and  the 
eyes  were  able  to  see  all  about  him,  as  dear 
Mother  Nature  meant  they  should  be.  And 
when  we  add  to  this  perfectly  natural  condition 
the  affection  he  bore  the  little  child  who  had  al- 
ways treated  him  kindly,  it  is  no  wonder  that  he 
promptly  assumed  the  responsibility  and  took 
her  life  in  his  care. 


"3 


WHERE  TWINKLE  SPENT  THE 
FOURTH  OF  JULY 


S   -Blue  Grass  Beauty. 


WHERE  TWINKLE  SPENT  THE  FOURTH 
OF  JULY 


\     LL  abo-a-r-d!     First  stop  Stamford. 


A 


All  abo-a-r-d!"  called  out  the  con- 
ductor, then  gave  a  wave  of  his 
hand  and  sprang  upon  the  car  step  just  as  the 
train  began  to  roll  out  of  the  great  railway  sta- 
tion. 

It  was  a  merry  party,  for  a  holiday  was  near 
at  hand,  and  everybody  was  eager  to  leave  the 
hot,  dusty  city,  and  longing  for  the  cool  sea 
breezes  which  awaited  them  a  few  miles  beyond. 
People  ware  laughing  and  talking  as  they  settled 
themselves  comfortably  in  their  seats,  or  placed 
their  belongings  in  the  racks  overhead. 

In  one  of  the  cars  a  family  party  was  settling 
itself,  evidently  for  a  long  journey,  and  a  long 
sojourn,  once  their  destination  was  reached,  for 
there  was  the  "big  box,  little  box,  band  box  and 

117 


WHERE  TWINKLE  SPENT  THE  FOURTH   OF  JULY 

bundle"  to  tell  the  story,  to  say  nothing  of  sev- 
eral children,  and  several  pets.  One  boy  carried 
a  bird  cage  into  which  he  peeped  every  little 
w,hile.  Another  had  a  box  with  a  hole  in  the  lid, 
and  a  bit  of  wire  netting  over  it.  This  was 
Frisky 's  house  for  the  time  being,  and  Frisky 
was  a  squirrel.  The  lady  with  them  held  a  small 
Boston  terrier  in  her  arms,  and  the  little  girl  be- 
side her  carried  a  basket,  from  which  now  and 
again  came  meek  wails  of  protest  against  her 
confined  quarters,  for  Twinkle  did  not  like  her 
narrow  walls. 

As  our  story  has  little  to  do  with  the  other 
pets,  we  must  pass  them  by,  and  tell  the  story  of 
Twinkle,  for  Twinkle  was  a  lady  of  high  degree ; 
a  blue  Maltese,  with  just  a  hint  of  Angora  blood. 

"Now  pussykins,  you  must  n't  cry,"  said  the 
little  girl,  as  she  slipped  one  small  hand  through 
the  little  crack  in  the  basket  lid.  "We  Ve  got  to 
ride  three  whole  hours,  and  if  you  begin  to  be 
bad  now,  I  'm  afraid  that  they  will  make  you 
ride  in  the  baggage  car,  and  think  how  ashamed 

118 


WHERE  TWINKLE  SPENT  THE  FOURTH  OF  JULY 

you  'd  feel.     So  be  a  good  pussy,  please  do." 
Twinkle  gave  a  little  throaty  meow,  and  set- 
tled down  for  a  time. 

At  last  the  journey  was  ended,  and  the  family 
settled  in  the  pretty  cottage  close  to  the  water, 
where  children  and  pets  could  enjoy  themselves 
to  their  heart's  content.  In  another  week  "the 
day  we  celebrate"  would  announce  itself  with 
boom  and  bang,  and  the  children  were  making 
great  preparations  for  it.  Fair  Point  was  well 
named,  for  it  was  a  very  fair  point  indeed,  and 
better  yet,  a  perfectly  safe  point.  The  long, 
sandy  beach  stretched  far  out  into  the  Sound, 
and  at  low  tide  one  could  walk  from  the  main 
land  to  the  island  more  than  half  a  mile  from 
the  shore. 

Out  on  the  island  was  a  small  cottage  used  by 
the  family  upon  rare  occasions  only,  for  it  was 
a  little  more  than  a  covering  for  Mr.  Hart  when 
he  chose  to  go  out  there  for  fishing.  Sometimes 
when  their  own  cottage  was  filled  to  overflow- 
ing with  guests,  Mrs.  Hart  would  send  the  men 

119 


WHERE  TWINKLE  SPENT  THE  FOURTH  OF  JULY 

over  to  the  island  to  "roost,"  as  she  called  it, 
but  most  of  the  time  the  place  was  shut  up. 

"Mary,  have  you  seen  Twinkle  this  morn- 
ing?" asked  Elsie,  as  she  opened  the  door  lead- 
ing into  the  kitchen  of  the  cottage.  "I  've 
searched  and  searched  for  her,  but  I  can't  find 
her, ' '  and  the  little  girl  looked  very  unhappy,  for 
Twinkle  was  her  "Very  own,"  and  each  child 
cared  for  his  or  her  especial  pet. 

"No,  Miss,  I  have  n't.  I  saw  her  last  night 
just  before  Mistress  closed  up  the  house,  and 
then  she  was  sitting  out  yonder  on  that  sand- 
bar a-lookin'  over  toward  the  island  as  though 
she  was  a  wonderin'  who  lived  over  there,"  and 
Mary,  the  cook,  laughed  at  her  own  wit. 

1 '  Oh,  I  wish  I  could  find  her,  my  dear  pussy- 
kins,"  and  Elsie  went  back  into  the  cottage  to 
renew  her  search.  But  it  proved  unavailing  and 
no  Twinkle  was  to  be  found.  The  family  had 
now  settled  in  the  cottage  three  days,  and  on  the 
day  following  their  arrival  Twinkle  had  van- 
ished, leaving  her  little  mistress  sorely  troubled. 

120 


WHERE  TWINKLE  SPENT  THE  FOURTH  OF  JULY 

Four  more  days  passed,  and  the  morrow 
would  usher  in  the  Fourth  of  July.  Fire  works 
and  fire  crackers  had  been  sent  out  from  the 
city,  and  the  boys  were  wild  with  delightful  an- 
ticipations, but  Elsie  could  not  reconcile  herself 
to  Twinkle's  loss.  They  had  searched  and  made 
inquiry  far  and  near,  but  all  to  no'  purpose; 
Twinkle  could  not  be  found. 

The  day  had  passed  as  all  such  days  pass,  and 
the  children  had  enjoyed  it  thoroughly;  at  least 
the  boys  had,  but  Elsie  still  grieved  for  her  lost 
pet  and  could  not  be  comforted.  Evening  drew 
on,  and  the  boys  began  to  set  up  their  fireworks, 
of  which  Mr.  Hart  had  purchased  a  generous 
supply.  Roman  candles  were  stuck  in  the  sand, 
and  as  the  tide  was  out  and  the  long  sand-bar 
exposed,  they  placed  a  row  of  rockets  almost 
across  to  the  island. 

Boom!  Boom!  went  the  bombs  and  candles, 
and  whiz,  sizz,  bang!  went  the  rockets  one  after 
another.  Finally  one  rocket  flew  wildly  into  the 
air,  whirled  about,  sputtered  and  then  came  tear- 

121 


WHERE  TWINKLE  SPENT  THE  FOURTH  OF  JULY 

ing  to  tlie  earth  again,  to  land  upon  the  island 
opposite.  Nobody  gave  it  another  thought,  and 
it  would  have  gone  from  their  minds  forever, 
had  not  its  sparks  set  about  creating  a  little  cele- 
bration upon  their  own  account. 

"Oh,  look,  look  at  the  island!  The  cottage  is 
all  afire ! ' '  cried  Hugh,  as  he  let  fall  the  candle 
he  was  about  to  set  off,  and  pointed  wildly  to- 
ward the  little  cottage. 

' '  As  true  as  I  live ! ' '  cried  Mr.  Hart.  ' '  Come 
quickly  boys,  we  can  get  across  and  maybe  save 
it  by  prompt  action.  Get  all  the  pails  you  can 
find  and  follow  me.  Don't  waste  a  moment," 
and  off  he  tore,  followed  by  his  own  boys  and 
half  a  dozen  others  from  the  cottages  near  at 
hand.  Several  other  gentlemen  had  seen  the 
fire  and  were  now  running  up  to  offer  help,  and 
in  a  few  moments  a  regular  fire  brigade  was 
formed  and  running  toward  the  burning  cottage. 
Mrs.  Hart  and  several  other  ladies  followed 
close  at  their  heels,  with  Elsie  and  some  of  her 
little  friends   running   beside  her.    Mr.   Hart 


WHERE  TWINKLE  SPENT  THE  FOURTH  OF  JULY 

rushed  toward  the  burning  building,  and  dashed 
upon  it  his  pail  of  water,  but  just  as  he  did  so, 
tripped  and  nearly  fell  over  a  small  animal  which 
came  scurrying  from  the  cottage,  to  drop  some- 
thing at  his  very  feet,  and  then  rush  back  to- 
ward the  house. 

Mr.  Hart  stooped  down  and  picked  up  a  tiny 
white  kitten,  but  before  he  could  say  a  word,  a 
little  gray  figure  came  running  toward  him, 
bearing  in  its  mouth  a  little  black  brother  to  the 
mite  in  his  hands. 

1 '  As  I  live  it  's  Twinkle, ' '  he  cried,  and  hastily 
handing  over  the  two  kittens  rushed  around  to- 
ward the  rear  door,  which  the  flames  had  not  yet 
reached.  The  light  from  the  fire  made  every- 
thing plainly  visible,  and  there  in  one  corner  of 
the  little  outhouse  which  they  had  used  as  a 
bath  house,  was  Twinkle  with  two-  more  kittens ; 
one  black  and  white,  the  other  a  little  tiger.  In 
the  further  corner  lay  the  mother  of  the  little 
kittens,  dead.  Doubtless  the  mother  love  had 
given  her  strength  to  reach  her  little  ones,  and 

123 


WHERE  TWINKLE  SPENT  THE  FOURTH   OF  JULY 

then  life  departed.  She  had  doubtless  been  dead 
several  days,  and  somehow  Twinkle  had  discov- 
ered her  babies,  and  cared  for  them,  for  Twinkle 
had  just  reared  a  family  in  the  city,  and  seen 
them  carefully  bestowed  in  new  homes  before 
leaving  town. 

The  kittens  were  quickly  moved  to  a  place  of 
safety  and  in  a  little  while  the  fire  was  extin- 
guished. Then  Twinkle  was  looked  after.  How 
she  had  managed  to  live  on  the  island  all  that 
time,  and  cared  for  the  orphan  kittens,  was  a 
mystery  to  her  owner,  but  it  was  a.  poor,  thin, 
forlorn  Twinkle  which  they  carried  back  to  the 
main  land,  and  a  ravenously  hungry  one  too. 
The  adopted  kittens  were  placed  in  a  basket,  and 
their  gracious  foster-mother  took  her  place  be- 
side them  with  a  warbly  meow  as  though  to 
say:  "I  suppose  I  ought  to  be  an  advocate  of 
Fourth  of  July  celebrations,  or  my  beautiful 
foster-children  would  never  have  been  found, 
but,  really,  I  should  not  have  minded  if  the  dis- 
covery had  been  accompanied  with  just  a  little 

less  thrilling  scenes. ' ' 

124 


ALTEMUS'  GOOD  TIMES  SERIES 

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UNDER  THE  STARS 

By  Florence  Morse  Kingsley 

Four  beautiful  stories  from  the  life  of  Jesus. 
A  Watch  in  the  Night.  The  Only  Son  of  His  Mother. 

The  Child  in  Jerusalem.  The  Children's  Bread. 

THE  STORY  OF  THE  ROBINS 

By  Sarah  Trimmer 

"The  Story  of  the  Robins"  was  first  published  in  England  under  the 
title  of  "  Fabulous  Histories,"  in  1785,  and  acquired  instant  popularity. 
It  has  been  issued  in  all  sizes  and  styles ;  it  has  received  nothing  but 
praise  from  the  greatest  of  critics ;  and  it  has  been  illustrated  by  the  best 
artists.  It  compares  favorably  with  modern  works  which  teach  kindness  to 
animals. 

JACKANAPES 

By  Juliana  H.  Ewing 

In  the  story  of  "jackanapes,"  the  Captain's  child,  with  his  clear  blue 
eyes  and  mop  of  yellow  curls,  is  the  one  important  figure.  The  doting 
aunt,  the  faithful  Tony,  the  irascible  General,  the  postman,  the  boy- 
trumpeter,  the  silent  Major,  and  the  ever-dear  Lollo,  are  there,  it  is  true, 
but  they  group  around  the  hero  in  subordinate  positions.  In  all  they  say 
and  do  and  feel  they  conspire  to  reflect  the  glory  and  beauty  of  the  noble, 
generous,  tender-spirited  "Jackanapes." 

THE  CHRISTMAS  STOCKING 

By  Elizabeth  Wetherell 

This  story  of  the  Christmas  Stocking  has  helped  to  make  many  children 
happy,  for  without  it  many  fathers  and  mothers  would  have  never  thought 
of  making  arrangements  for  the  visit  of  Santa  Claus,  who  never  comes 
where  he  is  not  maoe  welcome.  The  things  little  Carl  found  in  his  stocking 
told  him  stories  which  should  help  us  into  the  habit  of  remembering  those 
who  have  not  all  the  good  things  we  possess. 

LADDIE 

By  the  Author  of  "  Miss  Toosey's  Mission  " 

A  charming  story  that  has  been  popular  for  many  years,  and  deservedly  so. 

MAKING  A  START 

By  Tudor  Jenks. 

A  story  of  a  bright  boy  who  did  not  wait  for  "  something  to  turn  up," 
but  exercised  his  talent  for  drawing  until  he  secured  a  good  position  on  a 
great  daily  newspaper.  A  book  for  boys  who  are  learning  that  "  the  secret 
of  success  is  constancy  to  purpose." 

HENRY   ALTEMUS    COMPANY,    PHILADELPHIA 
127 


ALTEMUS'  GOOD  TIMES  SERIES 

Handsomely  printed,  profusely  illustrated  and  attractively  bound. 
Cloth,  illuminated  covers  (5%  x  IVt,  inches)  50  cents  each. 

THE  STORY  OF  A  DONKEY 

By  Mme.  La  Comtesse  de  Segur. 

In  this  book  the  donkey  tells  the  story  of  his  life  and  adventure,  be- 
cause, as  he  says,  "I  want  you  to  treat  all  of  us  donkeys  kindly,  and  to 
remember  that  we  are  often  much  more  sensible  than  some  human  beings." 
The  story  has  always  been  exceedingly  popular  and  has  delighted  thousands 
of  readers. 

MISS  TOOSEY'S  MISSION 

By  the  Author  of  "  Laddie." 

A  delightful  and  wholesome  story  that  has  had  a  wide  circulation  and  still 
holds  its  popularity. 

A  BLUE  GRASS  BEAUTY 

By  Gabrielle  E.  Jackson. 

Never  did  Kentucky  turn  out  a  handsomer  creature  than  the  Blue  Grass 
Beauty  who  twice  carried  off  the  Blue  Ribbon  at  New  York's  great  annual 
horse  show.  With  the  story  of  his  life  is  woven  that  of  some  very  nice 
people,  and  all  is  set  forth  in  Mrs.  Jackson's  inimitable  manner.  It  is  far  too 
good  a  book  to  mislay. 

THE    STORY  OF  A  SHORT  LIFE 

By  Juliana  H.  Ewing. 

In  "The  Story  of  a  Short  Life,"  Mrs.  Ewing  again  sings  the  praises  of 
military  life  and  courtesies.  Many  people  admire  Leonard's  story  as 
much  as  "jackanapes,"  possibly  because  the  circumstances  of  the  former's 
life  are  much  more  within  the  range  of  common  experiences  than  those  of  the 
latter.     It  is  a  simple,  exquisitely  tender  little  story. 

"JESSICA'S  FIRST  PRAYER 

By  Hesba  Stretton. 

A  beautiful  and  pathetic  story  which  appeals  to  all  children,  and  to  older 
readers  as  well. 

THE  ADVENTURES  OF  BARON 
MUNCHAUSEN 

By  Rudolph  Erich  Raspe. 

In  1737  Baron  Munchausen  served  in  Russian  campaigns  against  the 
Turks,  and  after  his  return  acquired  great  notoriety  by  his  exaggerated 
stories  of  adventure.  These  stories  are  so  outrageous,  and  Munchausen 
asserts  so  strongly  that  they  are  all  strictly  true,  that  his  name  has  become 
proverbial  as  a  synonym  for  extravagant  boasting. 

HENRY  ALTEMUS  COMPANY,  PHILADELPHIA 

""■■— — - ■         j^ 


GEORGE  WASHINGTON   JONES 

A  Christmas  Gift  that  went-a-begging. 

By  Ruth  McEnery  Stuart, 
Author  of  "  Napoleon  Jackson,"  etc. 

George  Washington  Jones,  "  ten  years  old,  little,  black,  sensitive,"  tries  to 
give  himself  away  to  some  lovely  young  lady  who  would  make  him  her  page, 
as  in  the  days  "befo'  the  wah."  Even  without  the  magic  of  the  author's 
name  in  the  writing  world,  the  story  will  survive  as  one  of  the  best  and 
prettiest  ever  written. 

Cloth,  ornamental,  illustrated        -        -        -        -      $1.00 

LITTLE  MISS  JOY-SING 

How  she  became  the  Beautiful  Pine  Tree  in  the  Garden 

of  Prince  of  Don't  Care  What. 

By  John  Luther  Long. 

PICTURES  BY  ZAIDA  BEN-YUSUF. 
Little  Miss  Joy-Sing,  with  a  poppy  behind  her  ear,  is  a  child  of  the  sunshine. 
She  slept  and  she  woke  and  she  wished ;  and  there  is  a  beautiful  prince,  and 
a  fox  that  can  talk — but  the  book  is  too  clever  to  be  cut  up  in  pieces  for 
inspection.  Mr.  Long  stands  inside  the  circle  of  the  mighty  and  always 
has  large  audiences. 

Cloth,  ornamental        -        -        -        -        -  $1,00 

HALF-A-DOZEN    HOUSEKEEPERS 

A  Story  for  Girls  in  half-a-dozen  chapters. 
By  Kate  Douglas  Wiggin. 

PICTURES  BY  MILLS  THOMPSON. 
The  charm  of  fhis  book  is  the  insight  the  author  gives  us  into  the  natural  life 
of  natural  people.     Every  girl  who  reads  it  will  put  the  volume  in  her  collec- 
tion of  permanent  acquisitions.     It  is  deliciously  fresh  and  amusing. 

Cloth,  ornamental $0.75 

THE   STORY   OF   THE   GOLDEN 
FLEECE 

By  Andrew  Lang. 

PICTURES  BY  MILLS  THOMPSON. 
It  happened  long  ago,  this  adventure  of  the  Golden  Fleece,  but  the  fame 
of  the  heroes  who  sailed  away  to  a  distant  lard  to  win  themselves  renown 
forever  has  lived,  having  been  told  many  times  in  story  and  song.  Yet 
who  cou.d  tell  it  like  Mr.  Lang,  with  his  poet's  passion  for  beauty,  his 
artist's  eye  for  color  and  detail  ? 

Cloth,  ornamental        -        -        -        -        -        -         $0.75 

HENRY   ALTEMUS  COMPANY,    PHILADELPHIA 

129 


GALOPOFF,  THE  TALKING   PONY 

By  TUDOR  JENKS, 

Author  of  "  Imagino*ions,"    "  The  Century  World's  Fair  Book,"    "  The  Boys'  Book  of  Ex* 
ploration,"  etc.,  etc.     Pictures  by  Howard  R.  Cort. 

A  story  for  young  folks,  told  in  the  captivating  style  that  has  made 
Mr.  Jenks'  name  a  household  word  wherever  there  are  English-speak- 
ing boys  and  girls.     The  book  is  delightful  reading;  as  enjoyable  as 
"  Black  Beauty,"  or  "Alice  in  Wonderland." 
12mo,  cloth,  $1.00 

"caps     and     capers 

By  GABRIELLE  E.  JACKSON, 

Author  of  "  Pretty  Polly  Perkins,"    "  Denise  and  Ned.  Toodles,"    "  By  Love's  Sweet  Rule," 
etc.,  etc.     Pictures  by  C.  M.  Relyea. 

A  story  of  boarding-school  life,  far  above  the  average  of  such  stories. 
Toinette  Reeve,  who  has  scarcely  known  the  influence  of  a  happy 
home  or  tender  mother's  love,  is  taken  from  a  school  where  the  posses- 
sion of  money  atones  for  shortcomings  in  character,  and  is  placed  with 
sensible,  loving  instructors  who  are  not  one  whit  behind  their  charges 
i:i  the  spirit  of  good  fellowship. 
12mo,  cloth,  $1.00 

THE    LITTLE    LADY— HER    BOOK 

By  ALBERT  BIOELOW  PAINE. 

Author  of  "  The   Hollow   Tree,"    "  The  Peep    Woods,"    "  The  Arkansaw  Bear,"  etc.,  etc. 
Pictures  by  Mabel  L.  Humphrey,  Louise  L.  Heustis  and  others. 

The  Little  Lady,  who  lives  with  the  Big  Man  and  the  Little  Woman 
in  the  House  of  Many  Windows,  is  a  dainty  little  girl  to  whom,  the  Big 
Man  tells  stories  and  sings  songs;  just  such  stories  and  songs  as  chil- 
dren love.  Then  there  are  walks  and  excursions  and  many  adventures, 
which  the  Little  Woman  shares  with  them. 
12mo,  cloth,  $1.00 

TOMMY    FOSTER'S     ADVENTURES 

By  FRED  A.  OBER, 

Author  of  "  The  Silver  City,"    "  Montetum.i's    Gold  Mines,"    "Crusoe's   Uland,"    "  Tha 
Knockabout  Club  Books,"  etc.,  etc.     Pictures  by  Stanley  M.  Arthur. 

It  is  worth  while  for  boys  to  read  such  a  book  as  this,  and  girls,  too, 
for  that  matter.  Tommy  is  a  sturdy  American  boy  who  has  a  glorious 
time  in  the  Southwest  among  the  Navajo,  Zuni,  Moqui  and  Pueblo 
Indians.  Boylike,  he  gets  into  a  "scrape,"  but  a  young  Indian  becomes 
his  friend  and  later  shares  his  adventures.  The  author  has  lived 
among  the  scenes  he  describes ;  and  there  is  plenty  of  fun  and  incident. 
12mo,  cloth,  $1.00 

FOLLY     IN     FAIRYLAND 

By  CAROLYN  WELLS, 

Author  of '"  Story  of  Betty,"    "  Idle  Idyls,"    "  The  Merry  Go  Round,"    "At  the  Sign  of  ths 
Sphinx,"  etc.,  etc.     Handsomely  Illustrated. 

A  remarkable  book  for  boys  and  girls,  fully  as  fascinating  as  the 
other  justly  popular  books  of  this  author. 
12  mo,  cloth,  $1.00 


Henry   Altemus   Company,    Philadelphia 

130 


